


My Killer, My Friend

by Lil_Gukkie



Category: Creepypasta - Fandom, Death Note
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2018-07-24 03:03:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 33,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7490871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lil_Gukkie/pseuds/Lil_Gukkie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryuuzaki "L" Lawliet escapes to America with a new apprentice. A new Kira appears in Japan, but a murderer is on the loose in America. Our protagonist, Tagoku Kairi, has a difficult choice to make: continue her work in America with L or return to Japan and get rid of Kira to save what is left of her family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Initiation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RhythmRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhythmRose/gifts).



"Ten more deaths and still no leads to who it could be," my assistant sighed as she reviewed the latest victims. 

"What do you know so far?" I asked. 

"Well, the only reason I know it's the same person is that he writes "Go to sleep" in the victim's blood. Other than that, there is no evidence of the murderer."

"Let me see," I said, waving her over. She handed me the pictures, and sure enough, there was the phrase. It was written in English, but I was fluent in the language. Top grades in the few college classes I went to because I have the ability to learn so well. 

I am L, the famous detective from Japan. After taking down Kira and faking my death, I disappeared with the help of Watari, my butler. My assistant is Tagoku Kairi, a direct cousin of Yagami Raito (who was confirmed to be Kira). I took her under my care when her parents were killed by the second Kira, whom I also took down, and began to care for her and train her as a detective in hopes she would not follow in her cousin's footsteps. We both traveled to North America and took refuge in a run down hotel in Georgia, doing undercover work and delivering the information to the authorities. The most recent major crimes all led to this "Go to sleep" character. 

"Kairi-chan, bring me my computer." She nodded, retrieving my laptop for me. I opened it and typed in the phrase. There were a few different results, but most were linked to Creepypasta. "Jeff the Killer" was the most popular topic. I clicked on the link to the main website where this story was originally written and let her read the story. When she finished, I pulled up an old news article and a picture. "If my theory is correct, this so called Jeff is the person we are searching for. The hospital he visited is here in Georgia, so we could pay a visit and ask."

"You're saying that the killer could be the same boy from a story written by an anonymous author?" she asked skeptically. 

"Yes."

"Ryuuzaki-sama," she began, "I'm willing to keep an open mind to your idea, but until we have more evidence that shows this is true, I need to keep track of the other possibilities."

"Of course. At the moment, there is only a forty-two percent chance that I am right. Who were the most recent victims?" I asked. 

"The two bodies were identified as Samuel Carter Henderson and Jolene Hazel Collins Henderson," she answered, giving me three more pictures: one of the crime scene, one of a young woman, and one of a young man. The two people in the bedroom were mangled so much that they didn't resemble the other two pictures at all. 

"Write down all the names of the victims, starting from his first to these two." Kairi nodded and repositioned herself at her desk. She was an expert at breaking past the security walls and hacking into the database of records. The best part was that she had never been caught. 

I decided to do some more research on Jeff to prove my theory correct. I looked up the hospital and scheduled a meeting with a doctor. "Done." I looked up to see Kairi holding three sheets of paper out for me. 

"Thank you," I replied, taking the names and scanning them quickly. There were no patterns in the names themselves, so she would have to look further into the relations. "Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Let's go get something to eat," I continued. She stubbornly shook her head. Kairi was a very smart individual, but her past haunted her constantly. She often became depressed and struggled with anorexia. I refused to let her go too far, though, and she quickly corrected herself when she realized what she was doing. 

"Fine," she sighed, handing me a jacket and a hat. It was a small disguise to avoid the suspicion of anyone that may have followed us here. "Can I choose?"

"Yes," I answered. She smiled slightly and grabbed her computer, placing it in her bag before grabbing her wallet. "Walk or drive?"

"Walk," she decided, pulling her long, brunette hair into a loose bun. I knew we would get some attention because of her. She was charmingly beautiful in appearance. Young, oriental females in America seemed to be pretty popular, both Japanese and Korean being the most noticed.

We walked out of the building and started down the street. It felt pretty hot outside, so I removed my jacket and looked over at her. She seemed to be cold. "Do you want my jacket?" I asked, causing her to look at me. 

"Sure," she answered, taking it and placing it over her thin shoulders. 

"You've been purging, haven't you?" I asked. She looked away, which meant I was right. "You know it isn't healthy. I caught the person who killed your parents, and you have a home and a caretaker," I pointed out. 

"I know, Ryuuzaki-sama, and I love the work we do. But you're hiding something. I know it." It didn't surprise me that she had caught on, and I knew that I would have to tell her eventually. 

"You decide where we eat, and I will tell you what you want to know," I stated, offering her a faint smile. 

(Kairi's POV)

I knew I could get it out of him. He had been keeping a big secret for a long time, and I wanted to hear his side of the story after hearing my cousin's side. My cousin, Yagami Raito, who was Kira, god of the new world. He was bringing justice to Japan and planned to go to the whole world, but he let his guard down and made too many mistakes, resulting in his ultimate demise. 

Knowing that his point of view promoted his idea of justice, I knew that Ryuuzaki had a different idea. I just wanted to see what his opinion was. Of course, I would never reveal that I had spoken to my cousin. That was a secret. 

I covered most suspicious actions or activities with anorexia and depression, both of which I partially suffered from. It wasn't major, but it was there, that feeling of inadequacy and doubt. 

"McDonalds is popular in America. How does that sound?" I asked, pointing at the sign that was shaped like a large "M." He nodded and continued walking in that direction. I found his posture very strange, but it did lower his appeal to some degree. He also held things strangely, with only his thumb and forefinger. 

The most unhealthy habit he had was eating sugar. Lots of sugar. He would eat the cubes alone, or a whole plate of marshmallows, let alone the overly sweet cake that made me sick to my stomach to even look at. 

How he stayed in shape was a mystery; he never exercised, but his metabolism was still very high. 

We arrived at the restaurant, and I opened the door for him. Whether he realized it or not, I acted as a second Watari when we went out, since the butler was often running special errands for him. Ryuuzaki was fluent in English, though we often talked in our language to each other. It was convenient, since I liked to work outside of the hotel at times. "What do you want, Kairi-Chan?" he asked as we walked up to the counter. 

"Welcome to McDonalds, how may I help you?" the clerk asked in English. I happened to be fluent in the language as well. 

"I would like a number ten combo and an apple pie," I replied, looking at Ryuuzaki. 

"I would like a vanilla milkshake," he added. 

"Okay, will that be all?"

"Yes," I said, pulling out my wallet.

"Okay, that'll be ten twenty-four," she said, taking my credit card. "Your number is thirty-four, we'll call it when your order is ready."

"Thank you," I said, taking my card back. She smiled and gave a polite nod to Ryuuzaki before we both took a seat on the opposite side if the restaurant. 

"So, ask away."

"Why did we move to America?" He sat down, pulling his knees up like he always did.

"I had to leave so no one would know I was alive."

"Why did you fake your death?" I asked. 

"Because I had to so I could defeat Kira," he stated. So we were already getting to that. 

"Who is Kira?"

"Yagami Raito. He claimed to be the god of the new world, serving justice to criminals. In reality, he was only a murderer with identity issues," he answered. I laughed softly, looking down at my lap. 

"And that man was my cousin. So that's why you took me in?" I asked, looking back up at him. "So you could make sure I wouldn't follow in his footsteps?"

"And because you needed a home," he clarified. "I wouldn't leave Japan knowing there was a girl made homeless by the accomplice of Kira."

"Accomplice?" I asked. 

"The second Kira killed your parents to distract me from the original Kira. Her name was Amane Misa," he explained, watching as I pulled out my computer. I hacked into the transmission of the radio stations nearby. 

"Most recent development on the killer, a family of seven at the group home down the street," I said. 

"Order thirty-four?"

"I'll get it," I said, standing up and turning my computer towards him before going to get the meal. I picked up the tray and walked back to the table, setting his milkshake and apple pie in front of him. 

"You ordered the apple pie."

"For you, Ryuuzaki-sama. I know you like them," I explained, sitting down with my wrap. Even though my dear cousin was killed, I looked up to Ryuuzaki. He was all I've had for four years now. He may act like a child at times, but I wouldn't be the person I am now without him. 

"Thank you, Kairi-chan," he said, looking up from the computer screen. I nodded, opening my meal. "Itadakimasu."

"Itadakimasu," I replied before taking a bite. He continued to type something. "What are you doing?"

"Sending myself an email. I just found more material to support my theory," he answered before giving me the laptop back. I saw that he found an old news report on a sighting of an unknown kid with a knife. 

"Ryuuzaki-sama, I need to research all of the victims to see if there are any connections. Would you mind reviewing the names one more time for any sort of pattern?"

"Let me see them," he said, taking a bite from the apple pie. I pulled out the list and gave it to him before beginning my search. I started with the most recent kill and the one before. Nothing made sense. They had absolutely no connection whatsoever. As I continued to look through the lives he had taken, I realized none of them connected. Was this culprit really just some person on a killing spree?

"Anything?"

"Nothing." With a sigh, I took the list back and placed it in my laptop bag along with my computer before opening my meal and eating a couple bites for his pleasure. "Don't make that face when you eat."

I hadn't realized I was making a face. He was so observant that it was annoying. "Sorry," I mumbled, taking another bite. The wrap was the healthiest thing that tasted any good, but it was still too high in calories. The fries were not an option for me, so I left them, knowing that Ryuuzaki wouldn't want them. Of course, he noticed. 

"Wasting fries is wasting money."

"Time spent wasting is not wasted time," I shot back. *Please, Ryuuzaki, let's just go."

"Only if you take the rest with you and eat it later."

"Fine," I sighed, putting everything back in the bag it came in and standing up. He stood up as well, and we both left the restaurant. As we continued to walk down the street towards our hotel, a loud scream came from behind us. 

"Help, please!"

I spun around, as did Ryuuzaki, and took off towards the source of the scream. It wasn't the first time I had run towards a similar happening, but for some reason, I felt nauseous when I finally reached the location. The scene didn't help. 

A young girl was cradling a body, both covered in blood. "What happened?" I asked, approaching the two. The girl looked up at me, her eyes widening before she jumped up and took off. "Hey!!" I yelled, watching her disappear around the corner. With a sigh, I knelt down next to the person she had left behind. 

He seemed familiar, but I couldn't place exactly where I knew him from. I allowed my fingers to lightly trace the wounds on his upper body. Each wound was like a slash; most likely the attacker used a knife. 

"Kairi-chan! Don't just run off–" Ryuuzaki stopped when he reached my side. "What happened?"

"I don't know. There was a girl, but she was gone before I could get the chance to ask her. It looks like he was attacked."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, kneeling down next to me. 

"Can you not see him?!" I argued, patting the man's cheek again. I had his upper body resting on my lap. My legs felt suddenly wet, but I didn't think it was sweat. After a second of hesitation, I slowly flipped him over. In the center of his back was a large stab wound, bleeding heavily. It was mortifying. He was dead. 

"Kairi-chan, stand up."

"Ryuuzaki…" I was doing all I could not to burst into tears. I shakily set him on the ground and stood up, pulling my arms close to my body. This was all an illusion created by my own imagination. It had to be, for I recognized who he was. I had been holding my father. "I don't know what got into me. I'm sorry," I said softly, turning on my heel and continuing to walk towards the hotel. I wanted to get away from the memory as soon as possible.

"Kairi, what did you see?" he asked, catching up to me. 

"Nothing. It was just my imagination. It wasn't real."

"It was to you," he disagreed. 

"But it's not now."

"Tell me." I shook my head. He sighed and looked forward. "Keeping everything to yourself isn't mentally healthy."

"I don't care. If I tell you now then I'll cry," I explained. "I swore never to cry again."

"Can you at least tell me what you heard when you ran off?"

"I heard myself." He didn't ask anything else from then on, probably because he figured out what it was I had seen. That scene constantly haunts me; the time I found my father lying on the ground and holding him until he passed away. The police had shown up not long after, and I ran. 

We reached the hotel, and I opened the door for Ryuuzaki. He walked inside and waited for me. That vacant look he always had on his face when he was observing my actions was there again. 

"You don't have to do that, Ryuuzaki-sama. I'm fine," I stated, starting up the stairs. He said nothing and followed behind. When we reached our floor, I unlocked our room door and let him inside. He was still watching me. It was then I realized I had left the rest of my meal on the ground when I thought someone had died in my lap. 

"Now you know."

"Yes, I realize it now," I grumbled, sitting down at my desk and pulling out my laptop. "But it doesn't matter."

"It does. You don't eat sweets, which is all we have, and you didn't eat enough food today."

"Yes I did. Now let me work," I stated firmly, opening my laptop and beginning my research on the relationship between the deaths. "Oh, I forgot to say. These victims have absolutely no connections."

"What do you mean?" he asked, walking up to my desk and sitting in an extra chair. 

"I mean there is nothing connection these people. None of them went to the same school, same store, same restaurant, anything. Not even a phone call." He seemed as if he didn't believe me, so I moved for him to research it. After twenty minutes of undisturbed focus, he turned and looked at me. 

"You're right."

"I know that. I wouldn't tell you something so seriously unless I knew I was right," I said, moving his chair out of the way. "But what do we do?"

"There wasn't any relation in their activities, but they all lived on the same street."


	2. Theories

You can't be serious. I missed that? Was I really that stupid? "…I can't believe this," I sighed, standing up and walking over to my bed, flopping down on my stomach. My list of failure was just getting longer and longer.

"You'll learn eventually. It was just a minor mistake."

"Minor mistakes aren't okay with me. They used to not be okay with you either," I replied, rolling onto my side to look at him. When he and my cousin used to work together, he would always correct and scold Raito for his mistakes. It's like he doesn't think I'm as good as him. "Don't sugar coat it. I want you to correct my mistakes."

"Then I will." I raised an eyebrow at him as he stood up and walked over to my bed. "If you start eating again."

"Oh, so that's why you go easy on me. You think I'll kill myself if my life is too stressful," I concluded. Ryuuzaki sat down on the bed next to me and moved my hair away from my face. 

"Get some sleep, Kairi-chan."

"Only if you do." Ryuuzaki wasn't perfect either. He suffered from insomnia, usually work related. He scooted back and rested his head on the pillow next to mine and closed his eyes. I did the same and soon drifted into a light sleep. 

(L's POV)

I closed my eyes and waited for about half an hour for her to fall asleep. When I was sure she had drifted off, I slowly stood up and walked away from the bed. Watari had come back from my errand while I was confirming the relation of these people. I walked up to him and held out my hand. 

"Has she eaten?"

"Not enough," I replied as he set the small bag in my hand. 

"Do you think this will help her?" he asked as I opened the bag. 

"There is a seventy-two percent chance that this will stabilize her for now," I answered. Watari had retrieved my old cell phone and the videos I had recorded on it during the Kira case. Perhaps if she saw her cousin and why I had to bring him down, it would help her. "She wants me to treat her like I did her cousin, and I thought I was, but I guess I need to refresh myself on how strict I was about his mistakes."

"But if this doesn't stabilize her and you say something wrong, she may purge again," he pointed out. I shook my head. Most people would be that way, but Kairi was above average. She hated pity and sympathy. Whatever she had seen in the alleyway on our trip back to the hotel only furthered my suspicions on what had happened in her past.

"She will be fine," I said, sitting down at her desk and opening the cellphone. I pulled up the videos, only to find that the memory was wiped. "Watari, did you return immediately after you retrieved this?"

"Yes, Ryuuzaki-san."

"Someone deleted everything except a phone number," I explained. The only other place I had the videos was in a file connected to the Japanese police force. The only option to get them was making contact with my other apprentice, but he didn't know I was alive either. "Establish contact with Near. I need his help."

With a nod, the butler walked away to a separate room. I sighed slightly and looked over at the bed, where I saw Kairi sleeping. At least I had thought she was asleep, but I could see her laughing softly, even if the sound was almost inaudible. "Kairi?"

"You said they deleted every thing but a number. What number is it?" she asked, sitting up in the bed and looking over at me. I looked at the cellphone again and read it aloud. Her eyes widened slightly, and she stood up, walking over to where I stood. "Ryuuzaki-san, that's my uncle's number." 

"Your uncle…" The only uncle of hers was Raito's father. Why would his number be in my phone? It wasn't even there in the first place. "How about you call him? He doesn't know I'm alive. Just say that you needed to move on."

"Okay," she said happily, taking the phone from my hand. I tilted my head at her excitement; the only reason she had come with me was because she didn't know her uncle that well. Why was she so excited to talk to him if she knew nothing about him? I would have been suspicious if it weren't for the fact that she was an outgoing person at times.

Watari returned then, motioning for me to come to the other room. "Stay here and record everything Kairi and Mr. Yagami speak of. Don't let her know that's what your doing though," I said as I passed him. Watari was always capable of doing anything I asked of him, so I wasn't worried. I walked into the room he previously occupied and sat down in front of the computer.

"Ryuuzaki."

"Near," I answered, looking at him through the video feed. "It's been a while."

"It has." The child tilted his head as he looked at me. "Can you show me your face? I haven't seen you since you died."

I shook my head even though he couldn't see. "I must protect my identity, even if I am not there, to avoid suspicion." Near nodded in understanding.

"Very well."

I decided to change the subject, not wanting to speak about my situation. "You've grown so much since I left," I stated. When I moved, he was merely a small youth. Now, ten years later, he was a tall teenager, much more mature in appearance, with a square jaw. "Any development in the business?"

"There is a new Kira. We're trying to find him now; gender unknown, but I'm on the verge of a breakthrough," he answered. Another Kira. What was with this Death Note, and why was it back?

"I need your help."

"I'm listening."

"I had Watari retrieve my cellphone so that Tagoku Kairi-chan could see why I had to bring down her cousin. When I looked through it, all that was on it was Mr. Yagami's number," I explained, leaning forward as I continued. "Watari is recording their conversation right now, but I need those videos that were on my phone. The only other place I have them are with you in Japan, filed with the Japanese police force."

"Why not have Tagoku-san hack into the system? I hear she does it quite often in Georgia," he answered. 

"Because I don't want her having access to everything just yet. I need to reveal it little by little." With a pause to think, Near pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote down something before holding it up to the camera. Morse code, I realized, quickly writing it down for myself. "Thank you, Near."

"Let's keep in touch," he answered. I agreed before closing the video call. 

"Ryuuzaki-san," I heard from the other room. I stood up and walked out, seeing Watari holding down an angry Kairi. 

"What happened?" I asked, walking over to them and taking her off his hands. "Kairi-chan, can you tell me?"

"His daughter answered…he died of a heart attack. She said there's another Kira. Another Kira, Ryuuzaki! Why didn't I stay?! I have to go back."

"Kairi! Calm down," I said, placing my hands firmly on her shoulders. "It's being handled right this moment. I just finished talking to the head of the investigation."

"If this doesn't end in three weeks, I will go back alone."

"What about the case you're on right now?" I asked, letting her go. "All the relatives of the victims feel the same way. They just can't do anything about it."

That seemed to get her attention. "Then you go back." I hadn't expected that. "It's either me or you, but your 'head of investigation' needs help."

"We will discuss this in the morning. Go back to bed."

"I can't sleep with you working all night!"

"I am your elder. Where is your respect?" I stated firmly. 

"Where is your heart?" she asked. I could see different emotions flow through her expression, but the most recurring was hurt. At what, I wasn't sure, but we couldn't just quit on one case to work on another, especially when they were in different continents.

"My heart is in my work, which just so happens to be here in Georgia."

"Well mine is where my family died. For once, I have the chance to prevent that from happening to the rest of my family. Plus there's no telling what my other cousin will do without her family. I have to protect her," she stated firmly. "Whether you like it or not, I'm leaving tomorrow."

"I'm not letting you leave on your own."

"I won't be alone." With that, she turned around and walked into the room I was previously in and slammed the door. 

"Watari," I said softly so she wouldn't hear. "Make sure she arrives safely at the airport. Don't leave until she's on the plane."

"Yes, Ryuuzaki-san," he answered. I sighed and sat down in front of the computer, opening the Internet and continuing to research Jeff the Killer.

(Kairi's POV)

I slammed the door, knowing it was soundproof to the room just beyond. I couldn't hear the obnoxious clicking of the keyboard, and he couldn't hear the conversation I was about to have. I opened the computer and pulled up the video chat.  
The most recent call had been erased, so I went to the erased data file I had created and used to redirect any deleted information so that it would be there for me to review at a later time and found the address, entering it and starting a call. The call was answered a minute later, a boy about my age with silver/white hair shown on the screen. "Who are you?" he asked. I tilted my head. 

"Tagoku Kairi," I answered. "You?"

"Near. No formalities needed."

"You can leave them off for me, too," I said with a nod. "Ryuuzaki-sama said you were the head of the Kira investigation."

"I am. Ryuuzaki was my teacher in the past. You do know his existence is a secret…" 

"I do."

"What exactly did you call for?"

"I'm coming back to Japan. Ryuuzaki approved the trip, but I need someone to pick me up. I was wondering if you had someone I could meet with," I said.

"I do. When does your flight land?"


	3. Home Again

Where we left off…  
Tagoku Kairi had contacted Near (without Ryuuzaki's knowledge) and made plans to be picked up at the airport in Japan when she arrived. 

(Kairi's POV)

I packed my bag early the next morning and ate a cracker to make Ryuuzaki worry less, then left with Watari to head to the airport. Luckily my passport hadn't expired yet. "Watari-sama, keep an eye on Ryuuzaki for me," I said, giving him a hug. He nodded firmly and hugged me back. "Tell him to expect a video call when I get there."

"I will. Be careful. You have your hat and sunglasses, right?"

"I do. And I will be sure to wear them when we reach Japan," I confirmed. With that, I turned and headed to the plane I was to ride. 

~time skip~

It was a long ride, most of which I slept through, but the plane eventually landed. I knew it was at least a day's trip, and it was dark in Japan. As I retrieved my bag, I looked around the airport for the person Near was supposed to send for me. He said I would know her when I saw her. 

And I did. It was my cousin, Light's sister. "Kairi-chan? Is that you?"

"Sayu-chan?" I replied. She smiled happily and ran up to me, giving me a friendly hug. "It's been so long since I last saw you!" I laughed, hugging her back. It made me nervous that her hands were resting over my spine, but when she let go and said nothing, I knew I was safe. 

"How is it in America?"

"Not bad, but I missed my family," I answered, offering her a believable smile. It was great to see my cousin again, but I felt nauseous from the plane ride. "How did you know I was here?"

"My boyfriend sent me. He said I would know who I was supposed to pick up when I saw her. I never thought it was you," Sayu answered. I hadn't expected her either. 

"Who is your boyfriend?"

"A cute red head." She leaned in and whispered, "He's a cop." I followed her out of the airport to a black limousine and sat next to her inside. 

"So how has life been since I left?"

Her entire demeanor flipped as soon as the words left my mouth, and her thoughts seemed distant. "Kairi, how did you last all alone in America?"

"I didn't." She turned her head to me, confusion evident in her eyes. She didn't know about Ryuuzaki being alive, so I had to make an excuse. "I went to school and made a few friends, so I wasn't alone."

"Oh… well I'm glad my friend is back now."

"Here to stay," I said.

"Well, then we can do this together," she said, giving me a small smile. I nodded and hugged her. Even if she had no idea what her brother had done, she was struggling on her own. 

"I'll be here for you. Always, Sayu," I said, letting her go. She nodded, wiping the tears I just noticed from her cheeks. "I won't be at your place, though. I have a job I came back to do."

"Just contact me once a week?"

"Definitely."

We eventually arrived wherever Sayu was supposed to take me after talking the rest of the ride and catching up on what's happened through the years we were apart. I used to visit and sleepover with her before my parents were killed. 

I got out of the limousine and looked back at her. "Sorry, Kairi-chan, but I have to go. My break is almost over."

"See you then," I said with a wave. She waved and shut the door. I sighed and looked at the building she left me at; it was similar to where I stayed with Ryuuzaki in Georgia. I walked up to the door and into the small building. 

As I walked up the stairs, hoping I would be able to figure out where to go, I noticed a blonde male following me from behind. He was wearing a navy blue suit and holding a brown briefcase in his left hand, his right hidden beneath his suit jacket. Whatever this man was following me for, it couldn't be good. I continued to act as if I didn't know he was there and reached the third floor, walking to an open area and taking a seat in a cushioned chair. The man sat down across from me and held out a pad of paper. 'If you know why you are here, look to the left shyly and nod.'

I did as told, not exactly sure why this man was remaining silent. He flipped the page and showed me the pad again.

'Is your name Tagoku Kairi?' I nodded. He flipped the page again and moved to the seat on my left, leaning close as if to whisper in my ear. He held out his wrist and let me read a note written there. 

'This man will bring you to my location. I do not require you to trust him, but I need you to follow him. ~Near.'

I smiled and looked down as if the man had whispered something in my ear to cover whatever suspicions he was covering as well. I then nodded shyly again and stood up, taking his offered hand (and doing my best not to puke at the smell of alcohol).

He led me through a back entrance and down a flight of stairs, landing us in a hallway with no doors and a wall at the other end. There must be a hidden door somewhere. The man walked down the right wall, tapped on an area near the middle, and a passageway opened up. He led me through without a word, so I followed silently as well. When we reached the other end, I saw a black van. This didn't seem right. Would Near really expect me to ride in a black van with a complete stranger? Or was he testing me?

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'?" the man asked, turning around to face me. 

"I'm not riding in an unknown vehicle to an unknown location with a complete stranger. Both of you would have to think I was an idiot to expect me to do something like that," I stated. 

"Too bad for you. Near told me to get you to him whether or not you liked the route," he said, pulling out a rag. There was absolutely no way I was about to let him abduct me with chloroform. 

"Then Near is here." The momentary pause of the man's approach told me I was partially correct. "And he's in the back of the van."

"Near doesn't leave his location."

"Then open the back of the van. If he isn't in there, I will ride with you to wherever it is you have to take me," I stated confidently. He hesitated before turning towards the vehicle and walking towards the back. He reached down and opened the trunk, moving away a safe distance for me to view. The back was empty. 

"You're wrong."

"Okay. I'll get in the back," I said, climbing in and shutting the trunk. He walked around and got behind the wheel. As the van started up, I pulled my knees close to my body and wrapped my arms around my legs, looking up into the hidden camera I noticed in the roof of the back as I got in. Straight into he lens that I knew Near was watching me from. And I smiled, offering a small wave. 

(Near's POV)

I sent her cousin to pick her up through a cop. Sayu was dating my head police officer, Denoki Manhou. He also planted a microphone on her so that I could hear their conversation. 

"Kairi-chan? Is that you?" Sayu asked.

"Sayu-chan? It's been so long since I last saw you!" Kairi replied. The two had seperated when Ryuuzaki left to America. 

"How is it in America?"

"Not bad, but I missed my family. How did you know I was here?" Kairi would eventually find out, if she didn't figure it out herself. 

"My boyfriend sent me. He said I would know who I was supposed to pick up when I saw her. I never thought it was you," Sayu said in reply. I was pretty sure these two were close enough to know each other even after a couple years. 

"Who is your boyfriend?" Kairi asked. 

"A cute redhead," Sayu began then continued in a softer tone, "He's a cop."

They then began walking, as I heard the ruffling of the microphone on Sayu's jacket.  
"So how has life been since I left?" There was an easily sensible uncomfortable silence before the Yagami female spoke again.

"Kairi, how did you last all alone in America?"

"I didn't." I was a bit curious how she would explain her partnership with Ryuuzaki. "I went to school and made a few friends, so I wasn't alone." Lies, but I honestly couldn't blame her. She was sworn to secrecy since she found out about his faked death and history with her cousin. 

"Oh… well I'm glad my friend is back now." It seemed Sayu bought her excuse. 

"Here to stay."

"Well, then we can do this together."

"I'll be here for you. Always, Sayu. I won't be at your place, though. I have a job I came back to do." Ah, she came back to help me with the new Kira case. Ryuuzaki was busy with a case in America that kept him there.   
"Just contact me once a week?"

"Definitely."

A large portion of their talk during the car ride was about Sayu's years without her, including her graduation from high school and decision to start college in a year. 

"Sorry, Kairi-chan, but I have to go. My break is almost over," Sayu said as a door opened.

"See you then," Kairi answered. 

I turned off the feed to Sayu's microphone and pulled up the security camera of the old hotel I had sent her to. Kairi was walking inside, my contact following her just as planned. She eventually sat down in a cushioned chair on the third floor. 

The scene carried out just as I had planned; she nodded shyly while looking to the left, signaling she knew why she was there. She then confirmed with him that she was Tagoku Kairi. Lastly, my contact moved to sit next to her and leaned close as if to whisper something, holding out his wrist where I had written a note stating the following: 'This man will bring you to my location. I do not require you to trust him, but I need you to follow him. ~Near.'

She then smiled and looked down at her lap. It was almost as if he had truly whispered something. She caught on pretty fast, taking his offered hand and following him away. To anyone else, she would have just accepted an inappropriate invitation. 

She followed him down the stairs into the passageway that led to my van, where she finally pulled out of his grip and stated firmly, "No," as my contact's microphone picked up. 

"What do you mean 'no'?" he asked in return.

"I'm not riding in an unknown vehicle to an unknown location with a complete stranger. Both of you would have to think I was an idiot to expect me to do something like that." I hadn't expected her to argue. I smirked and turned on my headset to speak to him directly through an earpiece. 

"Nemura. Repeat after me. 'Too bad for you. Near told me to get you to him whether or not you liked the route.' Then pull out the rag in your back right pocket and approach her," I said. He obeyed my orders. 

"Then Near is here," was Kairi's response. Wrong, but a good false assumption. A great start to discovering the truth. "And he's in the back of the van." Continuing on her statement; her confidence was strong. 

"Near never leaves his location," I said into my contact's earpiece. He repeated my words. 

"Then open the back of the van. If he isn't in there, I will ride with you to wherever it is you have to take me," she continued. 

"Open the back," I told him. He hesitantly obeyed. Kairi looked inside and, seeing no one, agreed to ride in the back. "Let her. Just get her here." He shut the trunk and got in the front, starting up the engine. 

As I was watching her, Kairi looked directly into the camera, smiled, and even waved. She clearly knew I was watching her. I laughed softly and leaned back in my chair, shaking my head slightly. She was going to be a lot of fun to work with. 

"Nemura, she figured it out. Give her the earpiece."

He obeyed without hesitation, removing the earpiece at a red light and handing it to her.   
"So this is how he knew what to say. I noticed his hesitation every time I responded," she said after placing the communication device in her right ear. 

"You knew I wasn't there, didn't you?" I asked. She nodded with a playful laugh. "You are a very interesting person, Tagoku Kairi," I stated. 

"Why, thank you, Near. I do hope this man knows where he's going; his speed is making me quite uncomfortable," she replied. 

"You're two minutes from my location. I suggest you put on some sort of disguise that covers your face so that no one recognizes you. Especially the new Kira." She nodded, pulling a hat and sunglasses out of her bag and putting them on. 

"I will talk to you when I arrive," she said, removing the earpiece. Just as she turned off the device, an external breach occurred. She had pretty good timing; anything else spoken would have given them a way to find me. I turned off the feed and watched her the rest of the ride. She was singing, and it seemed that Nemura liked it. 

'So you're fun,' I thought, watching them both laugh calmly. Fun was great, but I hope she had a more serious side. 

They arrived just as expected; two minutes after we had spoken. Kairi stepped out of the van as Nemura opened the back for her, and they walked into the building. I was currently staying in the same location Ryuuzaki had started his Kira investigation. 

"Welcome, Tagoku Kairi," I greeted as she entered the room void of windows and removed her disguise. "I assume you came to assist me with the Kira case."

"You are correct, though I must inform you; I am the direct cousin of the first Kira, Yagami Light. Ryuuzaki rarely allows me out of his sight. I don't blame him," she stated. I nodded in reply, nodding towards the chair next to me. She took a seat and set up her laptop, easily hacking into the police files and pulling down all the information I had given them, along with some information from the first case. "The current Kira has what is called a death note. Whether or not this book is truly the source of the deaths is unknown, but keeping an eye out for it is a good idea."

"So if we find the notebook, we will stop Kira?" I asked with an eyebrow raised in question.


	4. Absentminded

Last chapter…   
Tagoku Kairi left for Japan, leaving Ryuuzaki with the "Go to Sleep" killings. She was picked up from the airport by her cousin and Light's sister, Yagami Sayu, who took her to a hotel. Near's contact led her to the van and gave the detective an insight to the young girl's potential. 

(Kairi's POV)

"Have you heard of Weird Al Yankovic?" I asked him. He shook his head. "Just listen then," I continued. I translated his song "Eat It" into Japanese as I sang, knowing that people in Japan had heard of Michael Jackson. He laughed at some of the jokes in the song.

"I need to hear more of his music," he laughed. I smiled and nodded. We had reached the location he was taking me to. "Let's go inside. Near is ready to see you."

"Sure," I answered, watching as he came around the back and opened the trunk for me. I stepped out, grabbing my backpack. I then followed him inside and into the elevator. 

"Welcome, Tagoku Kairi," I heard when the elevator reached the desired floor and opened for us to exit. There were no windows in the current room, so I removed the hat and sunglasses. "I assume you came to assist me with the Kira case."

"You are correct, though I must inform you; I am the direct cousin of the first Kira, Yagami Light. Ryuuzaki rarely allows me out of his sight. I don't blame him," I stated. Near nodded in reply, nodding towards the chair next to him. I took a seat and set up my laptop, quickly hacking into the police files and pulling down all the information that had been given to them, along with some information from the first Kira case. "The current Kira has what is called a Death Note. Whether or not this book is truly the source of the deaths is unknown, but keeping an eye out for it is a good idea."

"So if we find the notebook, we will stop Kira?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in question. I nodded, pulling up a picture of the object, allowing Near to see it. 

"This is the Death Note. Another thing about this notebook is that it's paper is the power. A sheet can be taken from it and still work." 

"Why are we looking for the notebook then?"

"The rules found in the front of the book state that if the notebook burns, the bond will be destroyed," I said, pulling up a picture of the first two pages beneath the cover. "If we find the original notebook and burn it, then the Kira will lose his power. The only setback is that with the bond being broken, the memories involving the death note are destroyed. We will have nothing that can prove he is guilty."

Near read all of the rules stated in the front then turned to me. "Have you found any loopholes in these rules?"

"Not yet. They are very thorough."

"When did Ryuuzaki tell you your cousin was Kira?"

"Yesterday," I confirmed, looking directly into his eyes. "I had known he was hiding something from me ever since my parents were killed by who I found out was the second Kira at the time. He had begun training me when I left with him to America."

"Understood," Near said, leaning forward. "Your other cousin does not know her brother was Kira. I suggest you not tell her."

"Very well," I answered. It wasn't a surprise he would suggest such a thing. This was the heir to Ryuuzaki's investigation. He most likely thought everything out ahead of time. "Near, might I ask what your thoughts on Kira are?"

"He is a psychotic megalomaniac with identity issues." Similar to what Ryuuzaki said. I chuckled slightly at this; he would most likely act just as protective as the insomniac. "Shall we take a break?"

"A break? But we haven't even started yet." Ignoring my comment, Near stood up and walked out of the room. I rolled my eyes and followed him, stopping at the door. "I'm gonna call Ryuuzaki. Don't come back into the room until I'm done."

"Okay," was the answer I received. I walked back to my laptop and sat down, pulling up a window and typing in Ryuuzaki's computer address before starting a call. Within two minutes, he answered. Instead of seeing his face, I saw a Gothic-style "L." This was new. 

"Ryuuzaki?" I asked. 

"I am L, the investigator that led the arrest and demise of Yagami Light." His voice was scrambled. I tilted my head slightly, knowing he could see my face. What was with this facade?

"You already told me that. Anyways, I called to check up on you and Watari. Did you get any sleep last night?"

"No. I am on the verge of a breakthrough with the 'Go To Sleep' investigation. There is a fifty-nine percent chance that Jeff the Killer is the one we are looking for." I rolled my eyes and sent the camera a small glare. "What?"

"Get rid of this stupid 'L' and show me your face."

"I cannot risk Kira seeing my face. If Near is as close as I was to the suspect, then he could be anywhere in that room."

"The room is empty, Ryuuzaki. I know you can see that. It is well lit and empty." An almost inaudible sigh could be heard through my headset before the image changed. The restless circles under his eyes had darkened at least two shades. "I can't believe you."

"What do you mean?" he asked in return. His eyes were void of emotion, as was his pale face. "Please, elaborate." I knew the word was in his vocabulary, but he had never needed me to elaborate. He had always known what I meant. 

"I cannot believe you deliberately avoided sleep just because you think you have a lead. You would function much better if you slept and ate correctly."

"I can say the latter for you as well," he retorted. It was true, but I wasn't finished. 

"And you go on, not even trying to take care of yourself after I leave. Are you seriously that helpless?"

"Why exactly did you call?"

"To assure Watari made it back safely, and to see what new discoveries you had made. I personally did some research on the way to Japan and created a theory, along with uncovering a few discoveries."

"Go on," Ryuuzaki said, picking up a marshmallow and eating it solemnly. He was hiding something. 

"I ascertained that the story you had me read on the website titled 'Creepypasta' was not the original. I will tell you in a moment how to find the original, and it may prove your theory wrong," I said, picking up my copy of the list of victims. "But the original story speaks of a three-victim killing at Jeff's new school, the result of receiving immense bullying from these victims. The first three victims just so happened to be in the same school, and one of their classmates was expelled for 'unknown' reasons. I did a bit of digging, and the expelled student was suspected of murder until he went missing."

"So, although my source was incorrect, my theory is still correct," he elaborated for himself. I nodded calmly, seeing that this was true. "I want to read this story for myself." I nodded and wrote down the address of the true original, holding it up to the camera for Ryuuzaki to copy down. "Get some sleep," I told him.

He laughed softly; why, I wasn't sure. He then ended the call, leaving me staring at a black screen. He had never told me if Watari had gotten back. Or his recent discoveries involving the case. 

"Are you finished?" Near called from the other room. 

"Yes. Let's get to work."


	5. Distractions and discoveries

Previously…  
Tagoku Kairi met Near for the first time and was a bit taken aback by his resemblance to Ryuuzaki. She had then contacted her former guardian and took note of his absentmindedness. When he ended the video call, Kairi knew something was wrong. 

(L's POV)

I had a feeling Kairi leaving was a horrible idea. She was the direct cousin of Yagami Light, the original Kira. She went to Japan and was now with Near, my apprentice that finished off the first Kira case with my help. There was a twenty-two percent chance that Kairi would not remain pure when she left. After our video call, the possibility rose by seven percent. I didn't want to lose her to the insanity that stole my first friend from me. If she became like Kira, I wouldn't be losing another friend. 

I would be losing family.

"Watari. I must finish this case immediately. She is not safe without me."

"She is capable of handling herself, Ryuuzaki-san. Tagoku-san is a grown woman. Aside from that fact, you trained her." My butler's words were correct, but that merely lowered the possibility by one percent.

"There is a twenty-eight percent chance she will be lost to the same insanity that Yagami-san was swallowed by. I will not allow her to end in such a horrific way," I stated, entering the address she had given me over video. 

I read through the original story, taking very clear notes and saving the story to the case file. For some reason, I couldn't get rid of the immense worry nagging at my mind as I was distracted from my case. Another reason I knew Kairi leaving was a bad idea: I couldn't seem to focus.

"Ryuuzaki-san. Shall I provide a fitting meal?"

"Bring me a cracker, Watari," I replied. Perhaps if I took her advice, I would calm down. Yes, a cracker wasn't precisely healthy, but a drastic change would do me no good. It needed to be gradual. So I would started with a single cracker and a glass of water.

"Yes, Ryuuzaki-san." With a polite bow, Watari left the room. 

I sighed and looked at the screen of my computer. On it was a picture of this so-called "Jeff the Killer." It was obviously photoshopped. The picture itself has been changed many times, therefore it was merely a representation, not an exact picture. 

I went back to the address Kairi had given me and went to the author's writing profile. She had many other fictional stories. I made an account on the website to speak to her about the story about the current case. However, the website had restrictions that wouldn't allow me to send this person private messages to the author until a day after registration. 

There went my distraction. I didn't exactly know where to go from there, so I would have to wait a day to message him or her.  
Watari set a plate containing a variety of crackers accompanied by a glass of water in front of me. "Thank you, Watari." 

I took a bite from a saltine cracker and swallowed it with the help of the water; it was quite lacking in flavor. I pulled up a file from the first Kira case and searched through the Second Kira's victim list. I knew Kairi's parents were killed by Amane Misa, but I did not remember how they were disposed of. I eventually found her parents. As I looked at their files, I noticed something strange. Kairi looked nothing like her mother. Or father. In fact, the only thing causing me to believe she was related to the deceased adults was her last name. I had found Kairi sitting in the house, between her parents' bodies. They had both died of a heart attack. 

But now, as I looked through the files, she didn't fit into the family. The adults had legally had two residents in their home. They claimed to have no children. Something was wrong with this situation. 

"Watari, did you ever test Kairi's blood?" I asked. 

"No, Ryuuzaki-san. I was not instructed to do so." Of course. Either her parents were hiding her for some reason, or she was hiding in their home. 

I pulled up the video calling window and entered Near's address. 

(Near's POV)

I returned to the room after Kairi had finished her conversation with L. The two had a very interesting relationship. L had changed a lot since his faked death. I didn't think he would die so simply, so I wasn't surprised when Watari had told me about the successful plan that had gotten my mentor away from Japan with another apprentice. 

"Near." I turned to face her as she spoke; the new apprentice was now about my age. She was living up to my expectations so far. "What has you distracted?"

"What makes you believe I am distracted?"

"I have been explaining my theory for two minutes, and you didn't respond until I said your name," she replied. 

"Very well. Please restate your theory," I complied. She truly had caught me. I couldn't remember a single thing she said. 

"I want to know what distracted you."

"The fact that Ryuuzaki is alive. I had gone on believing he had died years ago. And the fact that you were trained by him," I replied. She nodded, moving on to tell me her theory. 

"If you remember back to the case that Ryuuzaki had begun, he used a broadcast to figure out where Kira lived."

"Ah, yes, Lind L. Tailor. The broadcast was supposedly worldwide, allowing Kira to believe he was safe to kill. The broadcast was only in Kanto, however, confirming he was nearby."

"First, you need to show that you are determined to take the current Kira down. When that rivalry is achieved, you can do what Ryuuzaki did. It doesn't have to be exactly like the Lind L. Tailor broadcast, but you need to single out a specific location in Japan to figure out where he is."

"What if he is not in Kanto?"

"Then we extend the search to the other regions." She seemed confident in her plan; it was a good plan, but it also depended on whether or not Kira would be watching. 

"Are you with or against Kira?"

"Against." Kairi looked directly at me, hiding every emotion except hatred from her eyes. "The Death Note corrupted my dear cousin. Anyone suffering from its hold must be saved."

It was then I understood her approach; she didn't want to catch the killer. She wanted to destroy the notebook and save the person. "Go take a break in the other room, and keep an eye on the news for me." She nodded, standing up and exiting the room. Just as her form disappeared around the corner, I received an invite to a video call from L. I answered it quickly, taking a seat in front of the camera.

"I know Kairi is there."

"Yes," I answered. Had she not told him I would be taking her in? "She is watching the news for me in another room."

"She is attempting to keep us from knowing she is with you without my knowledge. Let's keep her thinking that. I need you to get a sample of her blood and test to see if it matches her parents. I then want you to test and see if it matches Light's," L said. I put the assignments into memory before asking why. "Her parents never legally said she was living with them. They claim to have no child."

"Very well," I replied. "She is worried about you, Ryuuzaki-san."

"I am worried for her safety as well. Promise me that you will not allow anything to happen to her."

"I cannot promise that, but I will promise I will attempt to protect her from any possible harm," I stated. 

"Send me the results of the two tests as soon as possible."

"I will," I replied, not really sure what the importance of these tests were. I learned in the past that questioning L was unnecessary; he often told me the use of my deliveries after he finished looking at them. "Ryuuzaki-san, please get some sleep."

"I do plan on it," he replied. The call ended. I tilted my head, unsure if his last statement was true. It sounded genuine by the tone of his voice, but he rarely slept due to the many cases he took on. 

Deciding to let it go for now, I stood and joined Kairi in the living room. There was a single television, the news being broadcasted at the moment. Two empty couches sat opposite each other on either side of the electronic device, an occupied chair to the left of the right couch. I walked around the edge of the chair, only to find Kairi watching the screen intently. "Glad you came to join me," she said, sitting back slightly.

"Why is that?"

"I was getting a little lonely. I've never been in a room more than ten minutes alone, given the fact that I sleep in the same room Ryuuzaki works all night in."

"What about when he sleeps?"

"He slept next to me, but now I guess he sleeps alone since I'm not there." She looked at me, her eyes still only showing hatred, though the intensity of the emotion was weaker than before. "I don't believe he truly slept, though. He would get up half an hour after laying down. It worries me."

"He hasn't slept in years, and yet he can still work well," I stated.

"Not every sleep deprived person has trouble thinking, Near. It may effect his health, or his mental stability. It sure enough effected my cousin's mental stability," she responded. I didn't realize she understood so much about her cousin. 

"You seem a bit thin for your height and age," I said, changing the subject. "An eating disorder, perhaps?"

"Recovering," she confirmed. "Ryuuzaki kept me up for a few years, but I can handle myself now."

"I would guess anorexia, but to what extent was your fall?"

"I was on the verge of being hospitalized. When Ryuuzaki found me, I was slipping into unconsciousness on the floor next to the bed. He had Watari put me on the bed and fix me a plate of crackers. Ryuuzaki stayed by my side since, helping me keep from slipping again." She looked back at the screen, a calm aura seeming to overcome her. "He was like a father to me. At least, what I thought a father would be like."

"I had a room prepared for you, but I can stay with you if you would like," I offered, seating myself on the couch next to her chair. "When it comes time for us to sleep, you can decide. Until then, I would like you to tell me all you know about your cousin, the first Kira."


	6. Unexpected Circumstances

Picking up…   
L had discovered a strange occurrence in his newest apprentice's parental records. After he assigns Near a few tests to run on her, Kairi reveals her suspicions and a small bit of her past with the younger detective.

(Kairi's POV)

I told him all I knew from the public information and what I found on pro-Kira websites about the killing side of my cousin. I then told him what I knew about the person my cousin was; Light was kind, respectful, smart, handsome, and caring. It was the power of the notebook that changed him. When I had talked to him last, he had still acted the same, though I could see the hatred of man in his eyes. Still, beneath all of that horrible personality, he still cared about Sayu, about his parents, even about me. 

"And you haven't spoken to him in how long?"

"Ten years." It may be a lie, but lying was my specialty. I could lie so well that I could make the people who were telling the truth believe the lie. "I spoke to him two months before my parents were killed."

Near nodded, turning his attention to the news as a man appeared in front of the camera. "Turn it up."

I complied, turning the volume up for us to hear what the man was saying. "New update on the Kira case; Kira has yet to be stopped," he began. "Two more people died of a heart attack. Their families request that their names be kept from the public in hopes to protect themselves from Kira."

The screen suddenly went black, then a Gothic-style "K" appeared on the screen, Kira apparently having hacked into the news feed. I immediately moved to the other room, turning the feed on Near's computer screen while working on my laptop. I began hacking the system as well in hopes to trace the feed to wherever this murderer was broadcasting from. 

"N, my dear enemy. I know you are trying to find me." I broke past two walls and began tracing the feed while opening a system to unscramble his voice. "I want you to answer me within two minutes of the end of my broadcast. I will be waiting. 

"I am not like the last Kira; I think everything through. I have eyes and ears everywhere, and you will never be able to get ahold of my forces. They are, after all, supernatural and impossible to stop. I am killing off every threat to a perfect world: my perfect world. I will not fail in this plan. If you fail to answer me, I will dispose of your assistant, Tagoku Kairi." 

I fought the urge to freeze as my name was spoken. I knew what this Kira was attempting. With a grin, I managed to find the place he was broadcasting from just before he ended the broadcast. I also found out the broadcast was only to Kanto.

"Near, come here," I called. He slowly walked into the room, a look of unsureness on his pale features. "Don't worry; he is trying to locate where you are. The broadcast was only to the Kanto region. If we do not answer, he will test another region. I can hack into all the regions' feeds and watch for him, and we can trick him into believing you are somewhere else.

"I have also located where he had been broadcasting from…" I stopped, realizing he wasn't listening anymore. "Near! Snap out of it! We have a huge lead here."

"I am listening."

"Tell me what I said." He paused, looking directly at me.

"Very well, tell me again."

"Tell me why you were distracted."

"I heard the man say your name. Your full name. Whether or not he knows your face, I am unsure, but you are in danger."

"Not yet," I said, following up by repeating what I had said before. 

"He is located in Kanto. I am almost done undoing his voice scrambler, then we can compare and find all the possible suspects." With that explained, I turned back to my computer and began hacking into the other regions' news stations. Ten minutes passed as I watched the feeds closely. When nothing came up in the following two minutes, I began to worry. Was my hypothesis wrong?

Then came the confirmation. The feed for Kanto came up again, the same image as before shown on the screen. "I find it sad that you failed to answer me. Now, because of you, Tagoku Kairi has died. Such a shame that the close cousin of the last Kira was killed." I looked at Near, who seemed deep in thought, then back at the screen. Something was wrong here. "I suppose you are not as amazing a detective as everyone believes. Once again, fail to contact me within ten minutes of the end of this message, and I will kill another that is close to you. Hatachi Nemura."

Near sat down next me, taking the desktop microphone. I understood, turning on a voice scrambler that was stacked three times. I then used the address I found to start a video call, picking out an image of the Gothic-style "N" to use so that Near's identity was kept a secret. Within a minute of the call being sent, he answered, the same image coming up. "N, my enemy. I see that you decided to spare a life. It is people like you that I plan to remove from my perfect world."

"Do you realize how incorrect your idea is?" Near replied. "Removing imperfect people will ultimately kill off the entire human race. No one person is perfect."

Quite evenly stated. I smirked, turning to look at him for a moment. He nodded, and I began to hack the man's camera feed, taping a piece of black paper over our camera in case he tried the same. I managed to break through, but the man's face was hidden from my view by a mask. 

"So that is what you believe? Too bad, my friend, because you are not an influence on my tactics. I will not listen, no matter what points you throw at me." This man was acting foolish and childish. I would bring him down quickly. 

"Then let the chase begin, my friend, for I will not let you get away with this," Near said in return. He then placed his hand over the microphone, turning to me. "Do you have enough to unscramble his voice?" I nodded. "I will see you at a later time, Kira," he told the man before ending the call.

"Let the chase begin?" I mimicked with a small laugh. "That was a little cliché, to say the least." I pulled up the unscrambled voice sample and played it for us to hear. 

"N, my enemy. I see that you decided to spare a life. It is people like you that I plan to remove from my perfect world."

We both froze; it was a female. Kira was a female! No wonder she was acting childish! 

"Near, I know this voice."

"You do?"

"I went to school with her ten years ago."

(Near's POV)

After having heard the young female's voice and having Kairi hack into the student files of her old school, we found the name of the current Kira. Gyumi Naomi. 

"Something is off about this," I said, absentmindedly (if that would be possible) twirling a lock of my pearl-white hair. "Gyumi Naomi is a retired actress."

"Retired? At my age?" Kairi replied, looking at me with a strange expression. The hate in her eyes was momentarily masked by that of envy. "How could she have earned so much money that she would already retire?!"  
"Perhaps she still works, just not as an actress."

"…there is that," she sighed, looking at her computer again. "She was always a lazy one," she added under her breath. 

"Let's go talk to her and see what's going on." Kairi stood up, writing down the address she found before closing her laptop. "Send the cops there before he moves."

"You mean she?"

"I have a feeling she is just the voice." So with a call to Manhou, I had the place surrounded. When they sent in a search team and found no one aside from those who were working there, I told Kairi the news. "He must have removed the mask and erased the evidence. I will keep tracking him. I will find him," she stated determinedly. 

"Very well. Do you want to accompany me on the interrogation, or do you want to keep working here?" I asked. 

"I want to keep working. Wear this," she said, handing me a simple necklace with a shark's tooth in the center. "It has a camera in it that I can access from here."

I nodded, placing it around my neck. I also put in an earpiece and gave her a corresponding one. "Let me know if you notice anything suspicious in her body language."

"Understood. Be careful, Near."

"I will be."

I gave her a small wave before leaving the room and heading down to my van. I then put on a breathing mask to keep Kira from being able to kill me; Kairi had showed me the entire list of rules for killing with the Death Note, and I took a few minutes to memorize them for safety. I often wore it anyway, given the fact that my immune system wasn't very strong. It covered most of my face, canceling out the ability for Kira to see my name with Shinigami Eyes, as the rules state.

I took a seat next to Nemura, my temporary butler while my original was away. I silently gave him the address and watched as he simply took it and read it, starting up the engine soon after.


	7. Nightmares and Symbols

Last time…   
Kairi discovered that the new Kira was a female, and Ryuuzaki assigned Near to look into Kairi's relation to the Tagoku and Yagami families. 

(L's POV)

I left Near to handle the blood test and once again found myself with nothing to do. I didn't remember having this much free time before. Maybe taking a nap would be a good idea. 

So a new challenge began; slowing my brain enough to let myself sleep. It was a difficult task, to say the least. I was so used to having multiple tasks at the same time that I never slept. With a frustrated sigh, I turned onto my left side, looking over at Watari. 

"Having trouble sleeping, Ryuuzaki?" he asked calmly.

"Yes. It seems I don't know how to not think."

He laughed. I didn't hear Watari laugh often. "I could get you some melatonin chews. They help people go to sleep by giving melatonin, since your pineal gland must not be producing enough to tire you." I shook my head, closing my eyes and rolling onto my back. 

This was it. I wouldn't move until I fell asleep. Surely that would work. 

Just when I thought it wasn't working, I felt too tired to open my eyes again. What I believe was sleep soon overcame my thoughts, or the lack thereof. 

-•-•-•-•-

Then I was awake. 

I looked around the room, unsure of how long I had been asleep. The lights were out, and there was a form laying next to me. I turned to see Kairi sleeping on the other side of the bed. She was always a peaceful sleeper. 

I stood up, walking over to the door and turning the lights on. She didn't flinch. A peaceful sleeper, but usually a light one. When she didn't wake up, I walked back over to the bed and crawled onto the end, staring at her and waiting for her to wake. This didn't work either. 

I shook her shoulder, by this time starting to worry. When I rolled her onto her back, a pungent scent filled my nose. Her face was sunken in, as was her stomach. It was as if she hadn't eaten in years and died of starvation. I jumped back as soon as I saw her. Then the unthinkable happened.   
Kairi sat up. She looked at me, grinned, and started laughing. Her skin stretched when she opened her mouth, her eyes sockets void of life. 

-•-•-•-•-

I sat up with a start, looking at the spot beside me. It was empty. Was it all just a dream? I couldn't get the image out of my head. What kind of dream was that? It must have had some sort of meaning. Kairi had died, come back to life, and laughed at me. She must have died of starvation, given her past experience with anorexia and occasional slip, but the second life threw me off track completely. 

Watari soon entered the room and walked over to the bed, giving me a glass of water. "You were sweating in your sleep, but you don't have a fever."

"I had a small nightmare. Nothing to be concerned about," I explained, drinking the water and giving it back to him. He nodded and left with the empty glass. I sighed, running a hand through my hair before getting out of bed. 

I sat down in front of my computer, checking the time. I had only slept for three hours. Maybe I could call Kairi-chan? But she would be working on the case with Near. That would make me a distraction, which she would most likely ignore. 

I could pass it off as a test. 

I sent her a video call. She answered it, a black piece of paper blocking the camera. "Hello, Ryuuzaki." 

I checked to see what my image was set to; it was the Gothic-style "L" I had preset. I changed it to my camera feed. "Hello, Kairi." She removed the paper, showing me a calming image. She was perfectly healthy, her dark brown eyes set softly beneath her brunette hair. I let out a small breath, causing her to look at me.

"You seem distressed. What happened?"

"Nothing. I just tried something new."

"What did you try?" she asked, turning her eyes away again as she typed on her computer. 

"I took a nap." Her entire face lit up with laughter. "What's so funny? It was difficult."

"The fact that something so normal for any other human is difficult for you. And you seem so excited for yourself," she elaborated. I smiled slightly, watching as she worked. 

"What are you working on?"

"I'm doing research for the current Kira case while watching a video feed from Near. He's confronting our main suspect," she told me, pulling up another window by the change of lighting on her face. "How is your case going?"

"I'm working on contacting the writer of the original story."

"That's it?" she asked, looking at the camera. It was if she was staring into my soul. The image appeared suddenly, distorting her face. I bit my lip to prevent any curiosity from her. She still noticed somehow. "Ryuuzaki, you're hiding something."

"What makes you believe so?"

"You bit your lip, a sign that you possess that gives way to the fact you dislike what you are thinking about, your shoulders stiffened, a sign that you are nervous about something, and you questioned my theory, proving you are being deceitful."

I was impressed with her eye for body language, a talent she had perfected without my help. I nodded, confirming her truth. "Yes, I am hiding something. But it is none if your concern."

"It is my concern. You're family to me emotionally, no matter the lack of blood relation. Talk to me." I shook my head, chewing on my thumbnail. 

"Another time. You seem busy. Why did you answer when you were working?"

"Because I am capable of multitasking, and Near has yet to arrive at his destination. Do not underestimate me."

"I am not underestimating you, Kairi. I am merely noting your focus," I replied, causing her to shake her head. "I wanted to make sure you weren't easily distracted."

"You know what I am capable of, Ryuuzaki. You were just bored, weren't you?" 

Was I that easy to read? I used to be able to hide my feelings and motives fairly well. Perhaps she was right when she said I had changed. My skills have lowered, as have my strict teachings. The only question left was: is this a good thing or a bad thing?

"Kairi, could you call me once a night?"

"Yes, Ryuuzaki. I can call you." She looked at me and smiled, blowing a kiss to the camera. "I have to go now, okay? Near is about to interrogate our suspect."

"Goodbye," I said, waving slowly. 

"Bye," she said with a small laugh before ending the video call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a filler chapter, though it does give a little foresight >.


	8. Capture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize on behalf of the previous author of this story for the hiatus and wait!! It will be picking back up now. 
> 
> I hope you like it! Chapters will be posted once a week, on Fridays. Enjoy!!

(Kairi's POV) 

I watched the screen, halting my research to observe Gyumi Naomi. She had been my rival for top grades in elementary school. I can actually admit that I hated her. But now, I realize how childish that feeling was. I was fuming with envy at that age. 

I turned on my headset as I watched Near sit across from her. She was sitting with her legs crossed, fingers laced together and resting on her knee. She was unsure of what he had come for and felt uncomfortable.

With a slight adjustment to the camera, Near began to speak. I ignored most of the conversation, focusing mainly on her reactions and body language, just as he had asked. She seemed to be nervous, as nervous as anyone else would be when being interrogated by a stranger. I decided to tune into the questions in case her response was unnatural. 

"Do you know why I am here?" 

She shook her head. Confirmation, she wasn't lying. 

"I am here investigating the current Kira case. Do you know anything about the Kira cases?"

"No, Sir," she replied. That was obviously a lie. Everyone knew something about the Kira case. I told Near this, explaining that the news gave reports including information about Kira.

"What about what comes on the news?"

"Oh, I didn't think that would count," she said with a small laugh. I noted this, continuing to watch to see if this was merely nerves from regular fear or if she was being deceitful. 

"Is that all you know?"

She nodded. Her expression fading to a more serious look of confusion. 

"Can you tell me about your recent work?"

"Excuse me?" she asked, tilting her head. That was believable. 

"You are a retired actress, if I remember correctly, but you still seem to make a lot of money. Have you taken up a new job?"

She took a moment to answer. Hesitation. I made sure to tell Near this. "I have a few small jobs on the side, but nothing full time. I haven't had a job in a few months."

"Might I ask what these jobs were?"

"Just minor acting jobs. They paid well, too, though I never understood why he had hired me. The character was a male." This answer was somewhat coincidental. 

"Near, ask her who the man that hired her was." He did as I said. 

"I don't know. He did it indirectly, sending out his camera crew instead of coming himself. They wouldn't tell me his name or what the recordings were for. Only that I would get paid for each showing of my clips."

"Do you remember your lines?"

"Oh, I never forget a line." She smiled confidently, sitting up a bit straighter. "What would you like to hear?"

"Start from the beginning."

"Very well." She cleared her throat. "N, my dear enemy. I know you are trying to find me. I am not like the last Kira; I think everything through. I have eyes and ears everywhere, and you will never be able to get ahold of my forces. They are, after all, supernatural and impossible to stop. I am killing off every threat to a perfect world: my perfect world. I will not fail in this plan. If you fail to answer me, I will dispose of your assistant, Tagoku Kairi."

"Thank you, that is plenty." He stood up, and three more men entered the house. "Gyumi Naomi, you are under arrest as an accomplice of Kira. You have the right to remain silent, as anything said can and will be used against you in this investigation."

I sat back with a puzzled expression on my face. "Near, it's clear she doesn't know what she did."

"If I let her stay by herself, she could be endangered or used again," he elaborated. I suppose that made sense, but couldn't he tell her that instead of arresting her? The poor (well, rich) girl was probably scared to death. Near removed the camera and turned it to his face. 

"You have a different approach to your case than I am used to. But I suppose it will work."

"What would you have suggested?"

"It doesn't matter now. If you did it after arresting her, you would just confuse her. Let me talk to her when she gets here," I stated. He nodded as he walked out of her house behind her. "Oh, and one more thing." Near raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

"Don't scare her too much, or she won't talk."

(Near's POV)

I pocketed the necklace Kairi had given me and had Gyumi placed in the back of the car. I sat across from her, watching as she put on a mask of a calm demeanor. "Can you explain to me why you believe I am an accomplice to Kira?"

"Your voice was scrambled and used in Kira's broadcasts," I stated. I stopped at that, leaving her to ask more questions. 

"Hey, Near, I have an update from the officers sent to capture Kira." I waited silently for Kairi to continue, being the only one that could hear her. "The building was void of the man with the mask. I believe he removed the mask and hid it right after the broadcast had ended, allowing him to leave without being noticed.

"I scanned the security footage and noticed three individuals that have the same shoulder width as Kira. I then ran facial scans on the men and found their names. One of them has many aliases and attends the same college as Gyumi Naomi," she finished. 

I made a slight hum, loud enough for her to hear but not for Naomi. "Gyumi-san, when is your first class tomorrow?"

"Ten. Why?"

"I need to send your teachers an excuse so that they don't worry. I need you to give me your schedule when we get to our location."

It took Kairi a moment to understand, which disappointed me. "You're sending me as Gyumi-san? But what about her classmates? They will recognize me."

I blew a soft puff of air into the microphone, again inaudible to Naomi. 

"But being a movie star, she probably doesn't let people know who she is. So I won't be any different to them than she would." I was pleased she understood my lack of words. Perhaps she would understand my intentions sooner the more she works with me. I gave another soft hum in confirmation. 

"Might I ask where we are going?" Gyumi-san asked. I looked at her, shaking my head. "Then how much longer until we get there?"

"Any moment now," I replied. She nodded, turning to look out the window instead of at me. "Do not speak until we arrive and are inside the building," I prompted. She gave another nod. 

We arrived not long after her silence began, and I helped her out of the car. I had her handcuffed in case of any resistance, but she seemed to be calm enough. Then again, she was an actress, a dangerous asset when investigating a suspect. I led her into my building, having Nemura remove any cell phones or other electronic devices before allowing her further into my investigation premises. I took her to a room void of windows and allowed her to sit on the couch. "Make yourself comfortable. I will have my assistant join you in a moment."

Gyumi-san merely nodded, taking a seat once I removed the handcuffs. I left the room and joined Kairi in the security room. 

"Any new developments?" 

"None, aside from my research of the college campus security footage. She took on a shy character at her college, and she goes by the alias 'Masano Kyomi' in all of her classes."

"I would suggest you not change her character so that she is able to return without any suspicion," I stated. Kairi look up at me from her computer. I could see a strange emotion in her eyes. One that I haven't seen in years. For a moment, she resembled L, with the completely vacant, indifferent expression. 

It was unnerving, to say the least. 

But the hatred from before soon flooded her soft brown orbs, and I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. She didn't seem to notice. "Gyumi-san is sitting in the interrogation room down the hall. You can join her at any time, but I must require you to record your conversation. Do not, however, let her know she is being recorded."

"Very well, but won't she suspect that I am recording her?"

"Convince her. It doesn't matter how you get the information she doesn't wish to share. I just need it."

"Very well," Kairi stated, placing a small microphone under her shirt. She would remove her jacket to avoid suspicion, I suppose, so I didn't question her. She started the recording before leaving the room. I sat down in front of her computer, deciding to do a little bit of my own research. 

Just as I was about to scan through her documents, I noticed a small slit in the side of her computer. I turned the device sideways, an out fell a small razor blade. It looked as if it had been removed from a shaving razor. I knew what this meant, seeing the dried blood on the sharp edge.

Kairi had participated in self-harm. I called Ryuuzaki on my laptop, setting up the microphone. He would be upset that I didn't call with the blood test results, but considering how close he was to this girl, I knew he would want to know something like this as soon as possible. 

"Near."

"Ryuuzaki," I replied before holding up the razor blade. His eyes widened only slightly, but I knew how to tell what my old mentor was thinking. "I found this hidden in the side of her computer."

"Has she recently cut?"

"Given the amount of dried blood on it, it seems that last time was…approximately four days ago."

He audibly sighed, a sound I was not used to hearing from him. "Where is she now?"

"Interrogating a suspect down the hall. Do you want me to get her?"

"No. Just get rid of the razor, hide all scissors, and keep an eye and ear out for her," he stated. "She has agreed to call me once a night, so I can find a way to check up on her."

"Very well," I replied, pocketing her blade. "I wouldn't suppose you have had any new discoveries with your case, have you?"

"I am about to interrogate the writer of my source and see if he has any other information."

"You have confirmed that the writer is male?"

"No, but I do believe when one does not know the gender of another, he is spoken of as if he were male," Ryuuzaki said.

"I know. I was just wanting to see how much you have changed," I replied, smiling slightly. "You used to expect me to understand. Now you elaborate without a second thought. Perhaps Kairi needed you to elaborate more often, therefore you just began to do it on your own."

"Ah, she said something similar. Apparently I have changed a lot since I left." 

"Indeed you have."


	9. Meeting the Author

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late post! I was in Florida and didn't have Internet access at my friend's house. However, I will be posting today and still post on Friday!

(L's POV) 

I knew it. I knew her leaving was a bad idea!! I was just waiting for the proof. But now that she was gone, there was nothing I could do. I could only hope that Near was able to handle her, that she would wise up and be smart about how she handled herself. Hopefully I would be able to talk her out of it. I sat back in my chair, pulling my feet up underneath me. A familiar feeling of strengthened perception poured over me, and I couldn't help the small smirk that formed on my lips as I began to contact the author of my sources. 

I hacked into his account within a minute, finding his email address and copying it. I changed nothing so that he would not be suspicious. I then hacked his email, not once worrying about being caught since I had done this multiple times before. Finding his address was fairly easy, given the fact that he had entered this information when making his account. I saved this information to my computer and cell phone, then exited out of everything, sending the person a message on the website. 

_DeathAndLife: Hello, I am an informant. I was wondering if you and I could converse about your story "Jeff the Killer."_

I downloaded the app for the site on my phone, dressing in a pair of black jeans and a fresh black long-sleeved shirt. Once dressed to leave, I sat back down in front of my computer. 

_Corgi101: Hello, DeathAndLife! Sure, I don't mind giving you some information on my story. What would you like to know?_

_DeathAndLife: I want to meet you to speak with you. How about at the park two blocks from your house?_

_Corgi101: You know where I live? Can I ask how you got that information?_

_DeathAndLife: I know people._

A few minutes passed before he answered. 

_Corgi101: Very well. Let's meet then. How is five o'clock?_

_DeathAndLife: That will work._

I stood up and walked to the door, finding Watari in the kitchen. He was making my lunch, a single sandwich and a slice of cake. I smiled slightly at the attempt to make the transition easier. I did feel more comfortable when eating a piece of cake. Especially strawberry. 

I took a seat in a chair, looking across the table where Kairi would usually sit. It was a lot quieter without her here. Shaking away the depressing thought, I began to eat the meal that was set before me. The sandwich was a bit bland, but the taste wasn't horrible. I smiled a little, knowing that Kairi would never believe that I was eating a normal meal. Once I finished the sandwich, I happily ate the slice of cake. It was less than I usually ate, but I felt decently full. 

I then began to worry about Kairi. I always made her eat, but I couldn't do that now. It was up to Near, though I wasn't sure if he would remember to make her since he had never had to before. With a second thought, I pulled out my phone and texted Kairi. 

'Make sure you eat.'

She didn't answer, but the message was read. I sighed and stood up, returning to my computer to search for any other recent activity from my suspect. I left the hotel around four to arrive at my destination on time, once again concealing my face. I had Watari drive me since I didn't want to leave myself open when I was visiting the street of the alleged killer. 

We met at the park, just as planned, and I sat down on the bench. It was uncomfortably empty, and I wished that I had people that could have come instead of me. However, this source would not have trusted me. These Americans seemed to not trust people until they personally meet them. It was smart, but also difficult to work with. 

The person showed up soon enough. He sat down next to me, giving a small nod. "DeathAndLife," the person addressed. 

"Corgi101," I replied shortly. It was a simple confirmation of who we were. "You know who this Jeff the Killer is?"

"Yes. His true name is Jeffrey Woods. Although the story is written with Liu, his brother, as the witness, he actually died along with his family," he told me. 

"Why didn't you put that in the story?"

"It makes it more believable when a story about a killer is written from one of its victims, first person or not." 

"So you witnessed this murder?"

"I live on the same street as him. Of course I witnessed it."

"You aren't safe if you stay here," I pointed out.

"And I will be hunted down if I leave. I have my entire house set up with traps to prevent him killing me. He's tried to get in before."

"What does he look like?"

He shivered and tucked his hands into his hoodie pocket. "Just like the story said. All the pictures are fake because he moves too fast for a real one to be taken." 

I gave a small nod and looked across the park, still a bit uncomfortable with its vacancy. "No one plays here. Are they scared he will come?"

"Yeah, stupid though. He doesn't kill out in the open very often. Most of his victims are killed in their homes, preferably in the bedroom since he says 'Go to sleep.'" I nodded once more, adjusting my hat a bit. 

"All of his kills were on your street. Is there a specific reason that you know of?"

"No, but I think it's because he knows this street so well. He knows where he can run off to, where he can hide in each house. There's no telling if he has scouted out a new place and is planning to move there," he replied. I would have to take that into account. 

"Does he have a motive?"

"He hates it when people lie to him. That's the reason he killed his mother." He shifted, causing me to look at him. "He also hates it when you tell him he looks weird, ugly, or crazy because of what he did to his face. He wants you to say he looks perfect with his permanent smile, but if you lie, he gets upset. It's almost like you have to be insane to survive."

Or believably truthful, I thought. It was something Kairi was good at: deceiving someone into believing that she was telling the ultimate truth. I would need her help. 

"I would like to ask you more, but I feel a bit uncomfortable about talking out in the open with the possibility of him hearing us. Is there a restaurant we could go to?" I asked, standing up and looking down at the male. 

"Yes, I am quite hungry. Shall we walk?"

"Sure," I replied. He stood up as well and fell into step next to me. "What is your name?"

"Jaden." He stopped a moment for me to shake his hand, which I did calmly. We then continued to walk, mostly without speaking. 

"What is your name?" he eventually asked. I wanted to be careful about my true identity, so I used my most common alias. 

"Ryuuzaki." He gave a light hum in response and looked over at me. 

"You walk strangely. Why do you slouch so much?"

"Because I can see things more clearly," I replied, smirking slightly. Everyone seemed to want to know my reasons for the way I carry myself. 

"I don't know how you do it," he stated, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

(Kairi's POV)

I walked into the interrogation room and saw my old classmate sitting there. She looked completely different. Her once short brown hair was now long and dyed green. Why she chose green, I was not sure, but it strangely worked on her. "Hello, I am Madoka Mika," I greeted.

"I am Gyumi Naomi," she replied shortly. I sat down across from her and removed my jacket, setting it across my lap. "Might I ask why I am here?"

"You have been arrested as an accomplice to Kira."

"I didn't know that I would be used for the current Kira. When he sent his people, they said I was being the voice for a new film project based on Kira," she claimed, shifting forward in her seat. She seemed to be attempting to convince me.

"Did it not once occur to you that your employer's absence was strange?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, not at all. It wouldn't be the first time; producers are often off working on other projects at the same time."

"And you said that he claimed you would be paid for each showing of your cuts. Have you received any payments?"

"Not yet. I don't want to be paid by Kira," she said softly. "He has videos of me. He could kill me if he wanted to."

"I would like to ask you to recite all of the lines from your cuts."

"You're recording me," she sighed. 

"No," I replied, pulling out a notepad. "I plan to write them down. Can you start from the beginning?"

"Sure," she replied, taking a deep breath. I set the pad on my knee and began to write as she spoke, occasionally looking up at her to see if she was being deceptive. She was reciting them with a professional expression, most likely pretending she was being recorded so that she could get all of the inflections right. 

I wrote down each and every word she said while my mic recorded her. It took about an hour all together, but we finished. At least, as far as she could go before she burst into tears. Her sudden outbreak caught me off-guard. I set my pencil and pad down, looking at her. "Gyumi-san, why are you crying?"

"I can't take this," she exclaimed, looking at me. "He will kill me when he finds out what I did! I have to see my mother, please," she said between sobs.

"I am afraid I cannot let her come here at this time." She began to protest, but I explained. "It would put her in more danger. You need to calm down."

"How cam I calm down when a psychopathic killer is on the loose?! You don't get this, Madoka-san."

"I do," I stated firmly, causing her sobs to pause momentarily. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "My parents were killed by the last Kira. I know exactly how you feel."

"Wait," she said, drying her face a little. "Your family was killed?" I nodded. "He killed someone I used to know," she said softly. "I am sorry for claiming you didn't understand." I didn't see how my "death" had anything to do with my character's family being killed, but I moved on.

"We are doing the best we can to catch the current Kira, but I need your full cooperation."

"Of course," she said openly. 

"I need any and all information you have about your dealings with his recording sessions."


	10. Slip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter...  
> L met with the author and witness of the Jeff the Killer story and began to deepen his investigations. Meanwhile, Kairi interrogated former film actress and old classmate, Gyumi Naomi, who turned out to be an accomplice of Kira.

(Near's POV)

Kairi returned to my room about an hour later, sitting down next to me at the desk. "You took a long time."

"I got everything I could out of her. When she found out who I was, she told me everything."

"You told her who you were?" 

"You said you didn't care how I got the information. I simply did my job." 

She was correct, but I had truly expected her to be smarter. "That is your life to risk."

"My 'life' is assumed dead," she stated. "I used an alias." That seemed to make much more sense. "It would probably be best that you use it as well."

"Madoka Mika," I said, and she nodded in confirmation. "I suppose you haven't created a back story yet?"

"As to how we met?" she asked, "Because that is classified, if I remember anything about assisting a detective. As for going out in public, I will only do so if necessary. And there is no reason for me to tell a complete stranger about myself." 

"Very well," I replied dismissively. She seemed confident she could pass with this alias. 

"If you are assuming a new persona, and Kira believes that Tagoku Kairi is dead, then you should consider a different look. And continue to cover most of your face to prevent the Shinigami Eyes from working." She gave her own nod, and I moved on with my own plans for the evening; testing the razor blade in my possession for DNA matched to Yagami Light and Tagoku Minato. Although Ryuuzaki would disagree, her self-harm was a slight advantage. I would be able to get him his information without any suspicion from Kairi. 

While she began to do more research on her laptop, I left the room and went to my own, giving Nemura the razor and instructing him to run the tests. When I returned to the room, she was still typing away on her computer, though she seemed to be doing so at a faster pace than before. Her bag seemed to have been rummaged through as well, meaning she probably was looking for something. "You found it, didn't you?" she asked.

"Found what?" I replied, tilting my head. She scanned my face for a moment; I made sure I seemed clueless as to what she was referring to, and she seemed to believe it. 

"My journal. It's not in my bag." She looked back to her screen as she spoke. I hummed and sat down at my desk, looking around the few stacks. I didn't see any sort of journal.

"Perhaps you left it in America," I suggested.

"Wrong; I wrote in it earlier today. It's not a big deal. I took the notes from my interrogation in it."

"Ah, that one. Are you sitting on it?" I asked. She gave me an ambivalent expression before raising her eyebrows in what seemed to be realization. For a moment I thought I was right, but she stood up and walked over to the shelf above my desk and grabbed a book sitting atop. Her left sleeve fell enough for me to see that her wrist was unmarked. I couldn't necessarily check further up her arm without directly confronting her. "When did you put it there?"

"When you left, I set it there while I grabbed my computer."

I let it go and nodded, curious if that was the truth or if she deliberately put it there. She might have been looking for her razor and realized that it wasn't there, putting the journal up high so that I would see her fresh, uncut skin and believe she hadn't done anything. Either one was possible, but I would know soon enough if the blood was truly Kairi's. Why would she have a razor with someone else's blood on it? And if she were truly innocent, she could simply talk to me about it. There would be no reason to hide it if she wasn't participating in it.

I returned to my research, checking my emails and reviewing her recording of the interrogation. "What are you doing, Kairi?"

"Writing up a few responses to Kira's recordings that might force him to speak on his own. If I can stump him by shooting unexpected yet relative responses, he won't have a recorded answer." It was a reasonable pursuit. "Do you need something?"

"An answer."

"Ask away."

"How did your father die?" She was silent, and I turned to look at her. 

(Kairi's POV)

I couldn't believe he would ask such a thing from me. I could tell the story, but if I did, he would grow suspicious as to why I didn't feel any remorse for my father. I sighed softly and closed my laptop, setting it atop my bag. "My father was killed by the second Kira, Misa Amane. It was a simple heart attack...but I was there. I tried to catch him as he fell, but I was too weak and fell with him landing on my lap. He clung to my shoulders and begged for help. He..." I bit back tears, breathing slowly through my nose in attempts to stay calm. "He told me to run."

"Why should you run?"

"I don't know. But the cops showed up after a while, and I didn't know what to do, so I did run." I looked up at Near, letting out a small breath. "Ryuuzaki found me a few days later when I returned to the house."

"Why did you go back?" he asked. I gave him an incredulous look. 

"What do you expect a newly orphaned girl to do? I had nowhere else to go. I went home to see if the cops were gone. My dad's body was covered up, so I uncovered it and paid my respects. That's how Ryuuzaki found me." I smiled slightly, looking down. "He treated me like his own daughter, and I could never be more thankful."

Near nodded and turned back to his computer. My phone started ringing, causing me to jump. I looked at the screen. It was Sayu. "Sayu is calling me."

"She most likely heard the broadcast. If you answer, she will want an explanation. If you don't..."

"She will think I'm dead." I couldn't just let her think I was killed. She will never recover, especially since we just met again. "I am answering. I need about thirty minutes." He gave me a small nod, so I left to my private room and sat down on the bed. I opened my phone and put it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Kairi?" I could already tell she had been crying. "I thought that Kira had killed you."

"I'm fine, Sayu. It was just a threat to get N to respond. I'm alive and well," I explained, smiling a little.

"I can't deal with this anymore, Kairi. I can't lose anybody else to Kira. I already lost Light, and Father..." She started to cry again. It pained me to hear her so broken. "I can't lose you, Kairi. You're the last person I have."

"You have your boyfriend," I added. 

"Kairi," she drawled, and I realized just how serious she was. "Kairi, I can't."

"What do you mean?" I asked, growing a bit worried. 

"I can't handle losing someone again. I'm leaving."

"No, no wait," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. "You can't, don't do this to me."

"Kairi, I know you can make it without me. You did it all these years. But I was miserable all on my own. I don't want to feel that pain anymore."

"Sayu you are not going to do this to me!" I said firmly, forcing back tears. "I know what you are feeling, but you are wrong. I've been miserable ever since I left Japan. I'm here now, and you aren't going to lose me. I'm not going to lose you."

"Kairi I-"

"You can't even say it, Sayu. You wouldn't have called me if you didn't want me to know. I'm coming over."

"You can't! Kira will kill you!" she cried, and my eyes brimmed with tears.

"He's killing you," I said, my voice growing unstable. I knew that Kira was capable of manipulating anyone before their final death. "I'm coming over right now."

I stood up and left my room, keeping my phone to my ear as I dressed and hid my face. I muted the phone for a moment as I addressed Near. "I'm going to Sayu's house. I will be back."

"You aren't allowed to leave."

"Kira is killing her! I can't let her die alone."

"I will send Manhou to her. He will bring her here." I groaned in frustration, walking back to my room and throwing my hat at the bed. I locked the door and finally let my tears fall. 

"Sayu, please don't hang up," I said softly, hearing her crying as well. 

"Kairi-chan, I'm scared." I leaned against the door, covering my face. "I don't want to die."

"Then don't," I replied, not caring that my voice was cracking. "You don't have to die. You don't have to worry about me. I'm in safe hands under a lot of protection. I promised that we would keep in touch, and I meant it."

"But you could be killed."

"So could you! You are the last family member I have left, Sayu. I don't have a boyfriend to love me, I don't have a normal life in college. I have my cousin and a job with people that could care less if I die or not," I said. She seemed to be crying less. "I want you to listen to me: No matter what happens with this Kira, I will never leave you alone in this world. Believe me."

"Kairi-chan?" she asked. I hummed in response. "Manhou-kun is here. He says that I am going to a safe place."

"I will find a way to visit you, Sayu-chan," I replied, a relieved smile meeting my lips. "Go with him. I will talk to you soon." We said our goodbyes, and I hung up, sliding down to sit on the floor. I set the phone down and pulled my knees up, tugging my sleeves down around my wrists. I felt the sudden urge to return to what I had been trying to leave behind. I didn't want to kill myself. It was simply a way for me to vent out my frustrations.


	11. What's the Plan?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously...  
> Near began his research for L's requested errand. Kairi struggled to keep herself in check as her cousin called and explained her wishes to attempt to leave this world.

(L's POV)

Jaden and I sat for a few hours in a small café, conversing about everything he knew about Jeffrey Woods. He had asked about my stature only once, accepting the fact that I was strange in his eyes. I didn't truly care what he thought; it was normal for me. His opinion was none of my concern. We eventually landed on the subject of his family.

"You say that you witnessed these murders; did your family witness them as well?"

"My family lives somewhere else. I moved here on my own, four weeks before his first kill. I was friends with Liu, his younger brother. That is how I know his story, and how he knows me."

"Perhaps you should look for assistance from the witness protection," I suggested. He shook his head.

"I have to stay; Jeff will hunt me down. He has done it to everyone that tried to leave."

"So you will eventually die by his hand," I said, not seeing how this boy could find his way out alone. "Unless I find Jeff and take him in."

"You may be able to do it; he is not stronger or smarter than before his incident. The only difference is his speed and insanity. You can kill him just like any mortal." I nodded and stood up, realizing that it would be dark soon.

"Thank you for meeting with me," I said, shaking his hand. I then walked him home, not wanting to lose my source of information so easily. I received a video message as I was walking home and decided to answer it.

"Ryuuzaki, I need your help." I looked to the screen, raising an eyebrow before plugging my headphones in. I didn't want anyone listening to our conversation.

"What is it?"

"We've made a lot of progress with Kira, but a new problem surfaced. Our first suspect, Gyumi Naomi, was simply hired as an actress. She knew nothing of her employer until we took her in. I had her recite her lines so that I could create answers that were unexpected yet applicable."

"What is the problem then?" I asked in English, knowing I might have listeners. 

"I'm assumed dead." I looked to the screen, masking my shock well. "Kira thinks he killed me. He claimed to know my name and said that if Near didn't answer him, he would kill me. A few minutes later, he sent out another message saying that he did kill me."

"Perhaps he believes he did, but had the wrong face or misspelled your name."

"But if that was the case, he would have made two different responses: one being that I lived, and one that I died. He only assumed I had died." 

I let out a sigh to make it seem that I was dealing with a stressful problem with work. "I'm almost home, okay? I'll look at it when I get to my computer."

"Ryuuzaki, I wish you were here." It surprised me to hear Kairi like this. She was always stubborn and adamant about not showing her feelings. I didn't talk until I was safely inside the hotel with the doors locked. I then transferred the call to my computer. 

"Kairi, tell me what happened."

"I already did. I'm assumed dead."

"After that," I stated. Her eyes left the camera. I sighed. "Kairi, tell me." I watched as her eyes welled up with tears. 

"Sayu called my phone. I answered it, explaining that Kira must have misspelled my name and that I was still alive. If I died, I would have driven her to suicide." I waited patiently, knowing she wasn't finished by the way she looked at the camera. "I slipped, Ryuuzaki." My heart fell to my stomach at her words. 

"Show me your-"

"I slipped, but my razors are gone."

"Show me your arms." She looked away and removed her sweater, revealing her arms as she wore a tank top. Her arms were not scarred any more than her last slips. "Stomach." She lifted her shirt, and I saw dark bruises litter her torso. She had beaten herself. 

"Ryuuzaki, I'm not handling this well," she said. I heard her voice crack, and I sighed a bit.

"Go ahead and cry, Kairi-chan. I'll stay on the call, and we can talk when you feel better," I said. She pulled her shirt back down and pulled her sweater on. "Have you eaten?"

"I lost my appetite," she said. I frowned and shook my head. 

"And here I am trying to eat healthier." She raised an eyebrow, not believing my claim. "I ate a cracker and drank a glass of water. No sweets."

"You really tried," she said, a small laugh escaping her lips. Then her breath hitched, and I knew what was coming.

"Kairi-chan, I miss you over here." She looked down, and I knew she missed me too. "It's kind of quiet without you. I feel like I've gone back to the first Kira case."

"Light-kun was there."

"Yes, but we always argued or sat in silence. We didn't have regular talks like this." She wiped her eyes a bit.

"He never cried in front of you, did he?" she asked lightheartedly.

"No. He didn't like showing much emotion around me. He sort of hated me."

"Did you hate him?"

"No. To be honest, I was a bit jealous. He was able to get any girl he wanted, he was approachable and friendly, and he had both looks and smarts. He was my first friend in a long time."

"Why did you have to take him down the way you did?" she asked.

"Because I cared about him as well as all the families of the Kira victims. He couldn't stop anymore. He wouldn't listen to reason." I looked into the camera as her eyes rose to the screen. "It hurt, Kairi-chan. It hurt to have to kill Light."

"I miss my family. Sayu is the only family I have left," she said. 

"And me. And Watari."

She smiled, tears falling down her cheeks. She covered her face and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Ryuuzaki. I'm going to finish up here, then head back to America."

"Okay. Stay safe."

"I will. Bye, Ryuuzaki."

"Bye, Kairi." She ended the call, and I let out a sigh of my own.

(Kairi's POV)

The next two days were spent creating the responses needed to stump the real Kira. I helped Near with investigating other leads by reading the body language of each person, but the most they were actually responsible for was personal secrets irrelative to the Kira investigation. 

"This is stupid," I sighed, leaning back in the chair. I heard Near sigh through his microphone. He was heading back to the facility, whereas I was seated in the security room watching the camera feeds. 

"So I'm guessing that you haven't done something like this before."

"Well, most of our cases last less than a week. Killers in America aren't usually that smart," I explained, looking to the camera feed for Gyumi's room. She was currently asleep. "Until the 'Go to Sleep' case, it didn't take much to solve a case."

"Do you plan on staying in case more Kira's appear?"

"I told Ryuuzaki I would return home once this case is solved. But you will be able to request my help on a case in the future." He simply hummed in response, and I raised a brow. "Why? Do you want me to stay? I don't think I've been much help to you."

"On the contrary; without you, I would've never found out Gyumi was the voice of Kira. Your speed of hacking and tracking is far more advanced than my own. You have been a lot of help." I smiled a little, not used to so much praise. 

"Is there any chance I can see Sayu soon? I told her I would try to visit her."

"You can visit her once I return. Someone needs to watch the camera feeds at all times in case Gyumi needs us or tries something." 

"Thank you." I smiled a little brighter, glad to be able to see my cousin again. "I'll see you when you get here," I added, to which he nodded. 

About ten minutes later, he came into the room. I immediately stood up and bowed slightly to him, to which he nodded. He then sat down where I was previously, and I followed Near's butler, Kouju, from the room. We went down to where Sayu was staying, a room on the second floor of the four-floor building. As soon as I stepped inside, I was gathered into a bone-crushing hug. "Oh dear lord, Sayu," I said, my breath momentarily taken away. 

"I missed you so much!! I thought I was hallucinating our call or something," she said softly, eventually loosening her grip. I returned her warm embrace. 

"Don't worry. I'm just a little busy with my job," I explained. "And I hate to say it, but I won't get a whole lot of visits just yet. We're following a lead right now."

"You're part of the Kira investigation?" I realized my small slip up, but I didn't see how this could hurt her. 

"Yes, I am."

"That explains why Kira said your name. But I don't want to lose you to him," she said, finally releasing me. I went into her room and sat down on her bed, waiting for her to do the same. 

"You heard the broadcast. 'Tagoku Kairi' is assumed dead. I am going to go by an alias and change my appearance. Which is another thing I wanted to ask you about," I added, smiling a little to try and lighten her mood. "What should I do different? I need a complete change."

"Oh, I know! Wait, are we allowed to leave this place?" she asked, and I tilted my head.

"Depends. Why?"


	12. A New Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time…  
> Ryuuzaki learned more of the author's personal experiences with Jeffrey Woods, then later received a call from his apprentice. Kairi expressed her stress to Ryuuzaki, who was personally relieved to hear she would be returning once the Kira case was resolved.  
> Kairi then continued her work, crestfallen by their lack of further movement on the case. She asked Sayu for assistance in her new persona.

(Kairi's POV)

"Madoka Mika?" 

I looked up from my book, smiling a little at the man. "Yes, that's me," I said with a slightly different accent. I couldn't risk someone recognizing my voice, even if it had been years since I was in Japan. 

"I am Seragaki Ayato."

"Nice to meet you, Seragaki-san," I stated politely, standing and bowing at a ninety-degree angle. "Please forgive my impolite behaviour. I haven't been in Japan since I was young. I occasionally forget the style of respect here."

"You aren't from here?"

"Ah, I was born here, but I moved to America with my grandmother when I was only six."

"I see," he spoke, and I was glad my act was going well so far. "Please, come with me. I would like to introduce you to my director. Your assistance would be very useful." I nodded and followed him further into the police station. I got permission from Near to investigate within the police to get more information without having to worry about being caught. Of course, I had to be my character. Tagoku Kairi didn't exist anymore. 

I was led into a more private room, a man sitting behind a desk turning his attention to me as I entered. "Good evening, Sir," Ayato began. 

"I don't have all day, son. What do you need?"

"I have brought in Investigator Madoka Mika."

"I'm not interested in help from amateur investigators."

"I am not an amateur, Sir," I replied, bowing my head in respect. "I have brought every case from America that I have solved."

He motioned for me to come closer, so I did so and handed him my file. He viewed all of the cases and took his time. "You are quite the investigator, Madoka-san."

"Thank you, Sir."

"But what brings you back to Japan?"

I hardened my expression. "Many close friends of mine were killed by the current Kira. N may be a great detective, but he needs help." The director nodded.

"I am willing to bring you under us as long as you tell me anything we can do to help." I simply nodded, taking my file back. "I will see you bright and early tomorrow." I smiled, though he couldn't see it.

"Thank you, Sir," I replied with another bow before heading out with Ayato. Once we were down the hall, my escort placed a hand on my arm. 

"I'm sure you probably have a good amount to do to prepare for the case, but I would like to invite you to a small party the police station is holding here tonight for all of our newly joining officers." I smiled a little, looking away in thought. 

"I'll come by if I get the chance," I said after a moment. It was a reasonable answer, and it would give me the ability to ask Near his opinion and make the decision to either go or not without suspicion from the station. 

"Great! I hope to see you then," he said with a smile. I nodded and took my leave, heading to the place where Near's butler would be picking me up in a small car with tinted windows. 

I watched as he rolled down the window and made sure it was just him before getting in the passenger seat. "Is Near where I can talk to him?"

"I'm afraid not. I do not have a microphone with me." I nodded, sitting quietly the rest of the way. When we reached the location, I pulled my mask up and started towards the building, jumping a little when a strange sound echoed nearby. 

"Hey, Kouju, I think I heard something. I'll be right back," I said, to which he hesitated before nodding. "I'm safe. I have a gun with me, and my face is hidden. Don't worry."

"Okay. Don't be long. I'll be waiting for you right inside." I nodded. Once he was inside, I headed to the side of the building, pulling out my pistol in case someone was trying to get in somehow. I didn't see anyone; however, a small book was lying on the ground. I raised a brow, and I walked over to it. I nearly froze in shock. 

"Death Note," I read breathlessly. I lowered my gun, scanning everything again before kneeling down and picking up the book. I opened it, seeing the rules in the front of the book. My heart skipped a beat when I heard a voice.

(See note at the end for clarification.)

"Long time, no see."

I turned my head, my eyes widening. There was my cousin. At least, what I assumed was my cousin. He looked nothing like Light, at least until I began to look closer at his outfit. I saw the red tie that he wore as part of his school uniform, as well as the jacket he was wearing the last time I saw him. His face was now a skull, and a set of goggles sat atop his head. I thought I could cry. "You dropped this, didn't you?" I asked softly.

"I did. I need your help, Kairi."

"I can't talk out here. I don't want this," I stated, trying to give it back.

"Please, keep it Kairi. I will explain everything." I bit my lip, taking the notebook back. I slid it into my file. "I know you understand the rules."

"I'm not going to kill anyone," I stated, my eyes narrowing a little. "I would rather not join you."

"What if you could kill Kira? You could kill the one who killed your family."

"If I could kill the Shinigami that corrupted him, I would. But I want to destroy the death note, not kill the man." 

"You have such a righteous heart. I'm intrigued." I looked away, heading towards the building. "If you tell Near, I will kill you." I froze at that. I can't risk getting Near killed as well, let alone myself. With a small sigh, I simply nodded. "Good. I can't tell you what to do with it, but I will let you know what you need to do." I nodded again.

"I looked up to you once, Light. Congratulations on losing the one relative who understood." I then walked into the building, not caring if he followed or not. 

(Near's POV)

I was curious what Kairi had seen that caused her to be so long. But she did come up with Kouju eventually. "Did you find something?"

"Just some dumb squirrel," she replied lightly, sitting down next to me in another chair. "But I got in."

"Perfect."

"I did so well that I was invited to a party for the new officers tonight," she added, and I raised a brow.

"Did you accept?" 

"Not yet. I said I would swing by if I got the chance. What do you suggest?"

I thought for a moment. It might be a good idea for her to friend more people at the station so that no one questions her when she needs something or does something. "You may go. But don't show your face to anyone. If they ask, it's because of Kira, and you can never be too careful." 

"Good idea," she said with a nod. I dismissed her to let her get ready. 

Once she was gone, I looked up to Kouju. "Bring Nemura here. He ran a few tests for me." Kouju nodded and left the room, and I turned my head back to the camera feeds throughout the building. I had secretly placed one in Kairi's room to make sure I would see if she did any other self-harm. 

It was still strange to see the previously-brunette girl with bleach blonde hair. It was almost silver it was so light. I turned the feed off momentarily when she began to change, not wanting to invade her privacy more than necessary. Nemura set the test results paper before me. I called up Ryuuzaki to let him know the results before I looked at them. 

"Near," the familiar scrambled voice began. 

"Ryuuzaki," I replied, looking down at the file before me. "I have the results. I haven't looked yet. Do you want me to tell you, or should I mail them to you?"

"I don't have a mailing address. Please tell me." I nodded, opening the file. 

It took me a moment to scan the results, but I let out a sigh once I understood. "Tagoku Kairi is related to neither the Tagoku family nor the Yagami family."

"I was afraid of this. Is Yagami Sayu safe?"

"She is staying on the second floor of the building, whereas I am on the third. Do you wish to speak with her?"

"Perhaps you should. I have a few things I would like to know, and you may add as many questions as you would like. Let me know by tomorrow what she says."

"I was asking because Kairi is going to a party tonight. She wouldn't know we are communicating."

The image of the L remained the same as always, but I could tell by his delay to answer that he was thinking about it. "Very well. Take a laptop. I will create a new persona since the original 'L' is assumed dead." I simply nodded. 

"Oh, and Ryuuzaki, should I inform Kairi or let it go for now?"

"I want to speak with Sayu first. Then I will decide." 

"Very well. She leaves within the hour, so I will go when she is gone." 

"Call me back," Ryuuzaki stated. I nodded and bid my temporary farewell, the call ending seconds later. 

Kairi ended up leaving about an hour after the call ended, checking in with me only momentarily to receive a recording device in case she had any interesting conversations. Once she was headed off with Nemura, I stood up and turned to Kouju. "Bring my laptop to Yagami-san's room. I am going to put on a temporary disguise and mask." Kouju nodded, and I left him to do as he was told. I went to my own room and put on a medical mask to cover all but my eyes. I then put on a black wig to prevent my unique appearance from being visible by Yagami-san. Once everything was secured, I went down to her room and knocked twice. 

"Come in," a feminine voice called, so I opened the door and entered the room, removing my shoes to show that I respected her temporary home. "Hello. I am Yagami Sayu, but I think you already know that."

"You may call me Near."

"You don't trust me." I raised a brow at her assumption. "You disguised yourself and hid your face in case I was Kira. But I don't blame you. You can't be too careful anymore," she said with a small smile. "Please, come sit."

I simply nodded, stepping into her room and walking over to the small desk where the laptop was. "I assume Kouju has told you why we are here." She nodded. I turned to the computer and called Ryuuzaki, glad that this seemed to be going well so far. 

"Hello. I am L."

"L is dead," she replied, slightly confused.

"Indeed, my predecessor has passed, but I have taken his place to continue his legacy." 

"Very well. Nice to meet you, L-san," she said with a nod of respect in her seated position on the bed. 

"I have a few questions for you in regards to your cousin, Tagoku Kairi." Sayu nodded again. "I have come to find that her parents, your aunt and uncle, never registered her as their daughter under their household. Care to explain?"

"Yes, of course. Kairi-chan is not related by blood to the Tagoku family. She was found as an orphan living on the streets. I was told this by my father last year. I am afraid Kairi-chan does not know yet."

"Is there a reason you haven't told her?" Ryuuzaki asked.

"I haven't found the right time yet. I've only seen her twice since she's returned, and both times one of us was too stressed to handle the conversation. But I do plan to share this with her as soon as she seems to be in the appropriate mood."

"I would advise against telling her." Sayu furrowed her brows. "If you tell her while she is working on the Kira investigation, it may distract her from her work. She needs to be as focused as possible."

"But I shou-"

"You've waited this long. It won't hurt her if you wait longer," he reminded. Sayu thought for a moment, then nodded her head. 

"Very well, L-san. I will keep it to myself until the Kira investigation is closed." 

A small pause ensued, and I turned to look at the image of the L. Ryuuzaki soon continued to speak. "Do you know the truth about the Kira cases, Sayu-chan?" 

"I am afraid not," she replied. 

"The first Kira found what is called a Death Note. This note has a supernatural power and is given to a human by a Shinigami. Any person whose name is written in the Death Note will die. There are a few rules that go along with using the Death Note, but they are unnecessary to explain at the moment." I took a look at Sayu. She seemed to be taking the news fairly well; her eyes were downcast, but otherwise she seemed perfectly fine.

"And you say that Kira used this notebook?"

"Indeed. I am under the assumption that the Death Note is the source of all the power. It feeds off of the user's negative emotions, therefore it is nearly impossible to control."

"Yagami Light, my brother, was the last Kira."

The room was filled with complete silence for a good moment. 

"May I ask how you came across this information?"

"I saw the Death Note once. He had left his room for a moment, and I snuck inside for just a little while. I saw it but thought it was some strange college project."

"Why exactly did you sneak into his room?"

"I was looking for my phone. I used to go to his room and visit with him, but it sounded like he was busy, so I waited until he was gone to look so I wouldn't bother him." She smiled sadly. "If I had only known, then I could've turned it in and helped stop him beforehand."

"That would have been helpful, but it's too late to fix now. I do, however, want you to keep an eye out for this notebook since you know what it looks like. Avoid touching it unless entirely necessary. And do be careful; if you do happen to go out, keep more than half of your face hidden to prevent the use of the Shinigami Eyes on you."

"Very well. Thank you, L." 

The "L" disappeared from the screen. I closed the laptop and stood up. "I will expect news if you do come across anything." She nodded. "Be careful, Yagami-san."

"Don't worry, Near-sama. I will be." I nodded and left after Kouju did. "Oh, and please watch out for Kairi-chan for me."

"I already am." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This part of the story is based on the "Unnamed Shinigami" theory. Here is a link to the theory itself:
> 
> http://deathnotefanon.wikia.com/wiki/Light%27s_Reincarnation_Theory


	13. Let the Games Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time…  
> Tagoku Kairi, now known as Madoka Mika, found herself an agreement with the police station to assist her in the Kira cases. 
> 
> Ryuuzaki spoke to Sayu about her older brother, the previous Kira. Sayu promised to keep an eye out for the Death Note.

(Kairi's POV)

I looked up at Light as we walked. I couldn't help but wonder if he had actually changed that much or if he really did need my help. It didn't seem like something Light would do, giving his cousin a Death Note just to kill the Kira. If anything, he would have been the first Shinigami to give Kira the note. Heck, he could have made me the new Kira since I supported him so much. But he probably figured out I wouldn't be a likely candidate since I had become such a trusted detective. Then again, I didn't know exactly how long he had been watching me. 

"Light," I said, causing him to look at me.

"Don't talk yet. We need to be somewhere private."

I let out a small sigh before nodding. Then I got an idea. I pulled out my cell phone and put it up to my ear as if I was calling someone. After a decent amount of time, I smiled and created a name. "Ah, Phillip!! What's up?"

I spoke in English, hoping Light would catch on. The different language seemed to catch his attention. "Okay fine. What do you want?" 

"I was wondering if you want to get together. How long has it been?" 

"You want to know how long I've been watching you." I was internally thankful Light was observant and smart enough to figure out what I was asking. "I've been watching you since you returned to Japan." 

"Maybe we should get to know each other again. I hope to leave once my job is finished."

"You're leaving?" Light asked, stopping in the air. I continued to walk, making him float up next to me. "Why would you leave?"

"Well once I'm through here, I plan on coming back to America. Then I'll get to see you again," I said with a small smile. 

"You have someone waiting for you." I looked away, not wanting to elaborate any further. He let out a small sigh. "Put your phone away. I'll continue to explain myself since you're the only one who can hear me."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later," I said with a small laugh before "hanging up" and putting my phone back in my pocket. 

"I want you to turn your head to the left if I need to elaborate further and to the right if you understand." I looked to the right casually, to which he nodded. 

"I was the original Kira, as you already know. But Ryuuzaki ruined my plans of becoming the new ruler of this world when he defeated me." I couldn't help but stuff my hands in my pockets. I didn't like talking too much about that since Light's death truly hurt me. "When I died, I became a Shinigami. I began to watch the human world after many years because it is truly boring up in the Shinigami world. When I heard there was a new Kira, I grew curious as to what he was planning. It turns out he is a mindless killer, killing innocent people more than criminals." I looked to the right again.

"I came to you when I saw that my sister was getting you at the airport. I had many possible opportunities to give you the note, but I couldn't risk someone else getting it. I'm sure you also noticed just how observant Near is." I looked to the right. "If I had given it to you any sooner, you may have been caught. But you are capable of hiding it now. I can help you hide it as well if you want."

I looked to the right. The police building was quickly coming into view, and Light seemed to notice as well. "I probably won't leave since you are the only one who can see me right now."

I looked to the right again, and he stopped talking when we reached the building. I opened the door, making sure my mask and beanie were in place before stepping inside. It looked like half of the people were dancing, a fourth drinking, and the last fourth simply talking. I didn't exactly expect to fit in very much, and there was no way I was drinking with all these strangers around. 

"Mika!!" I raised a brow at the use of my name without proper honorifics. I saw a slightly-drunken Ayato approaching me. "Glad to see you made it!"

"Please use my full name, Seragaki-san." 

"Ah, sorry. I'm not in my right mind," he mentioned, pointing to his group of buddies. I slightly shook my head. 

"I'm not a drinker. I'll find somewhere to be," I replied with a polite bow. He simply nodded and wandered back to his friends. I let out a small sigh, looking around. I saw Light leaning against a wall. I didn't exactly know where else to go since I didn't know anyone, but I guessed now was as good a time as any to make acquaintances with my future work partners. I moved towards the younger crowd that wasn't drunk, smiling even though my mouth was covered. If any of then cared to notice, it would reach my eyes which would show I was smiling. 

"Hello, I am Madoka Mika, but you can call me Mika." I was never one for formalities, though I had a feeling many of these people would use them since I was a stranger. 

At first, none of them knew what to say, but one boy with his own medical mask on nodded his head politely. "Hello, Mika-chan. I am Beluno Leonardo "

He had an accent. "Italy?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Your name has Italian origin, and your accent is noticeable." I thought for a moment. "You're Leonardo Bruno in your country, aren't you?"

"You do seem to have a good ear," he complimented. "Yes, that is correct. I take it that you have traveled a little to recognize my accent though."

"Yes, I lived in America for many years. I actually just moved back to Japan earlier this week," I replied, to which he nodded. "You should be careful here. I would hate to see any more people get killed by Kira."

"You've seen Kira's killings? But I thought you just got back."

"My family was killed by the first Kira," I said, causing his eyes to widen. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Don't worry. It was years ago. I'm over it now." Leonardo nodded again. "Can I call you Leo-kun?"

"Of course! We are friends after all, right?" I smiled brightly and nodded. "Great! These are my friends," he said, two boys next to him bowing politely. 

"I am Yamato Haru," one guy said, his light green eyes observing me. 

"And I'm Himoto Watari." My heart skipped a beat, and I felt my breath hitch, though I attempted to cover it. 

"Ah, I used to know someone with the name Watari. He was a butler to someone close to me," I commented. 

"Funny, my father was a butler whose name was Watari," he commented. I raised a brow. "But he passed away a few years ago," he added. 

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said softly, wondering if my Watari was the same man. I actually doubted it since the two didn't look a lot alike, and my Watari was from England while this man was clearly Japanese. "I lost the man I knew as well. He died along with my close friend."

"Then perhaps we can recover further together." I found myself touched by his suggestion. 

"I think that might be nice," I said with a nod. 

I continued to talk with the three boys, learning more about their reason for joining the police force. Watari wanted to serve in honour of his older brother who died during his service years ago. Haru had followed in his father's footsteps after training within the computer side of things. I found it neat that all of them had different roles but were almost as close as brothers. 

"And what do you do?" they asked me.

"I'm a detective."

(Ryuuzaki's POV)

I had set up many cameras around the streets where Jeff was continuing his kills. If nothing else, I could at least get an idea of whether or not he had a specific pattern. It seemed like it was one family overnight, though he didn't have a pattern on the specific houses. It was quite randomized. 

I sat down in front of the camera feeds shown on my laptop, wondering if this "Jeff the Killer" would strike tonight or not. He also wasn't a nightly killer; he was smart enough to wait so that he would throw off the police. 

"Watari," I said, catching my butler's attention. "I want you to view the dates of the previous kills in this case. See what weekdays the kills were on and look for any specific pattern." 

"Yes, Ryuuzaki," he replied, and I heard him enter the separate room. I felt somewhat uncomfortable in the room by myself, having gotten used to Kairi's presence while I worked. It was lonely without her here, though I was looking forward to her returning home. She truly was like family to me. I haven't been as close to someone emotionally since Watari became my butler. 

As if Watari could sense my discomfort, he returned to the room and seated himself at Kairi's desk to work. I let out a small breath, returning my gaze to the camera feeds. I would be going against my attempts to better my sleeping patterns as I stayed up to watch the feeds all night, but I would keep them recording in case my small nap from earlier caused me to randomly drift off or lose focus. 

"Ryuuzaki?" Watari said, looking over to me. I raised a brow in response. "You might want to focus on the screen with the running people." My eyes flickered across the screens until I noticed the commotion, surprised I hadn't noticed it from my peripheral vision. 

"Ah, yes, it would seem that one of the houses was set on fire." Watari was already calling the emergency line, and he moved next to me in wait for our next move. "We need to let this one go for now. I might be able to find his appearance in one of the camera feeds."

"Might?" Watari asked, his tone seeming skeptical. 

I didn't have a proper answer for him. I simply needed this image. And, sure enough, I got one. He had stopped for a moment in the middle of the street and looked up at a camera, eyes narrowing. A moment later, a knife was headed towards the lens, then I had static on my end. I immediately moved out of my seat and started packing my things. 

"Ryuuzaki?" Watari asked. 

"We need to move. Now."

There was no way he would have noticed the camera unless he knew it was there. Judging by the remaining cameras slowly being taken out one by one, my theory was correct. He had seen me, which meant he could have easily followed me home. I need to find someone to do the dirty work from now on. I was definitely at a disadvantage. 

As I was in the middle of packing, I received a message from Kairi. I opened it and had Watari continue packing our things. 'I'm about to call. Due to the dangers in the Kira case, please disguise your IP and put up an image other than L. Either use a single voice alteration or alter your voice yourself. I need all traces of you being a threat gone.'

I set up an image of a sunset view over some clouds and answered the call that had started a few moments later. Her image was a regular one as well. I couldn't blame her; if Kira had the Shinigami eyes, then she would be in danger showing her face. 

"Going somewhere, Kyuji-san?" she asked with a curious tone. 

"Yes, I'm afraid my case isn't going so well," I replied, laughing softly. I hoped that attempting to sound like an average American male would suffice. She didn't seem upset by it at all. 

"Aw bro, what's wrong?" Ah, I see. A charade in case something were to happen and Kira back into her call. It was pretty clever. 

"Well, my location has been compromised." The small gasp on her end made me sigh softly. "I wasn't careful enough. He had seen me putting in cameras. I just hope he doesn't remember a face well, or follow me to the new hideout. But don't worry, you will know if something bad happens."

"Please stay safe, Kyuji. I want to return home to you soon. Don't make me come home to a funeral. Please."

"I won't, sis. I promise. You stay safe too, alright? Show Kira who's boss." Her laugh was music to my ears, and I couldn't fight my smile. 

"I love you."

"Love you too. Call again tomorrow." She said her goodbyes and hung up, and I got to work finishing up our packing. I packed my laptop and camera, as well as my microphone and the files on the current case. As we were about to leave, I wrote a note and left it sitting on the bed.

"Let the games begin, Jeff the Killer."


	14. The Bitter Truth (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously...  
> Kairi got to speak with her cousin again, then made a few new friends in the police force. L was discovered and forced to relocate.

(Kairi's POV)

"He's been discovered. He's been discovered, Light! What am I supposed to do? He's all the way in America, and he might be the next one murdered," I said frantically, running a hand through my hair as I paced the bathroom. 

"You're lucky no one else is in here. They'd turn you in to a psych ward for screaming at nothing," he pointed out. I couldn't help but fix a glare at him. 

Then I fought back tears for a moment. It hurt to see him like this. A mere monster, a creature anyone would fear at first glance. The only reason I wasn't afraid was because I knew him.

"I don't know why I'm asking you. You couldn't possibly care," I growled, pulling out my phone and dialing the one person I knew that actually would. "Sayu..Sayu I'm scared."

"What's wrong?" she asked, worry evident in her tone. The small gasp I heard from the Shinigami made me all the more furious. 

"My..my brother..an American friend. He's been on the same case I was before moving back here. But he's in danger. The criminal had seen him putting in the cameras. What do I do?"

"What can you do?"

I sighed, dropping to the ground. "N-Nothing." Tears welled in my eyes, blurring everything. "I can't do anything, Sayu. He's in America, and I'm here..I can't fix this. I'm going to lose him."

I heard a sigh from the other side of the phone. "You weren't in the same room with me when I was in danger. And I'm safe now."

"Y-You know that's different."

"Is it, Kairi?" I closed my eyes, letting the tears roll as I listened. "We were both positive Kira was using me, killing me. And yet you saved me by talking to me."

"He's running now. I can't distract him."

"Then don't. He knows you care, and if you were on the same case, then he must be just as smart as you are. And you're a fighter."

"Fighters don't cry," I said with a shaky laugh.

"Fighters don't let the enemy see them cry," she corrected. "You're strong. And he is too. He's strong _because_ you're strong."

I shook my head, wiping my cheeks. "I'm not that important to him." 

"We both know you're lying."

I laughed softly, looking down as I pulled my knees close. "A girl can hope." I hugged my knees close. 

"Kairi."

It wasn't Sayu. I lifted my gaze to Light, furrowing my brows. 

"You can fix this."

"How?"

"What?" Sayu asked. I frowned, explaining myself. 

"How can I fix this?"

"That." He pointed to the note in my bag. My eyes widened. I shook my head. Repeatedly. 

"No."

"Kairi?"

"No, no, no, no, I can't! I can't do this..I can't. It's....I can't. I can't do it."

"Kairi!!"

"P-Please...I can't," I cried, staring up at light. His eyes widened, then his brows furrowed. 

"But you want to protect him."

"It's not right! Don't you get that? Killing is wrong. I can't kill him."

"KAIRI!!" 

I jumped, my eyes widening. Sayu had heard every word. "S-Sayu?"

"Kairi, you're breaking up on me. Are you still there?"

I let out a small sigh of relief, standing up and moving around to a different spot. "I'm still here. Sorry...connection isn't great here."

"I was worried I lost you."

I let out a breath, pushing my hair back. "Not yet."

"Not ever. Understood?" Her authoritative tone surprised me. I smiled softly, looking down. 

"Understood. I'm visiting you later."

I said my goodbyes, letting out a frustrated groan. I heard a knocking at the bathroom door and sighed, grabbing my bag from be ground and making sure the notebook was hidden. 

"Mika-chan?"

"Sorry, Leo-kun. I'll be out in a moment."

Once I felt more composed, I pulled my mask and hat back on. I then stepped out of the bathroom, surprised when I was gathered into a warm embrace. "You were crying."

I fell apart at that point. "D-Damn it..I didn't want to be caught." I relaxed into his touch, missing things like this. Ryuuzaki would always hold me when I fell apart, even if I told him not to. And I missed it so much.

"Come with me. You need to be away from everyone." I nodded, letting out a soft breath. I had snuck away to the bathroom so that I could call Ryuuzaki like I'd promised, but I didn't plan to have an anxiety attack either. I followed Leo to a private room within the building, taking a seat in one of the chairs. 

Leo seated himself right next to me, turning his chair to face mine. I let out a soft sigh. "You're going to ask, aren't you?"

"Of course. You don't seem like the kind to break easily."

I laughed bitterly. "When it's family, I can't help it." I removed my beanie and brushed my hair back, clutching the fabric of the hat tightly in my left hand. "My family was killed years ago by the first Kira. Then I was taken to America, and I worked there with a close friend for a long time. We became as close as a family could ever be. He was all I had left, aside from my cousin here in Japan. He...he called me, and he's moving because he's in danger. Our current case is a serial killer, beyond our natural comprehension of a human killer. He's..he's dangerous. And my friend has never been this nervous before. I don't want to lose him."

"Why did you leave him with an unsolved case?"

"We got into a fight. When I heard that Kira was back, I wanted him to return, but he refused to leave me there with the case. So I decided to come back instead." I closed my eyes, willing my anxiety to leave and let me settle down. 

"You thought he could handle it. And I'm guessing you're still assisting him from overseas. But now, you feel like you can't do anything, and you're scared you'll lose him."

I looked up at him, nearly positive my eyes were expressing the pain I felt. "H-How.."

"I heard some of it while you were crying in the bathroom. But I filled in the blanks." I gave a weak laugh, causing him to smile sheepishly. "Sorry..I tend to jump to conclu-"

"You hit the nail right on the head, kid," I interrupted, causing him to smile a little. "I just...I wish there was something I could do."

"What if I told you there is?"

My eyes widened, and I searched his gaze for an explanation. Which he just so happened to supply. 

"I'm great at filling in the blanks, Haru is a computer wizard, and Watari-kun is a great moral support with a criminal insight." I felt a smile tugging at my lips.

"You mean.."

"We form a team. The four of us, solving the Kira case and the serial killer case together."

"You're the greatest. You know that?" I asked, hugging him happily. He returned the embrace after what I guessed was a moment of hesitation. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet; we have some work to do."

(Near's POV)

I wasn't sure how long this party of Kairi's would be, but as soon as I left Yagami-san's room, I made sure to put everything back into place. I had settled down into my chair before the surveillance screens to begin looking into the current kills by Kira when I received another call from Ryuuzaki.

I didn't expect to be called again only twenty minutes later, but there was a different image than the usual "L" I always saw. I paid it no mind. 

"Who is this?" I asked in case there was a reason Ryuuzaki needed to change the image. 

"This is Kyuji-san. I'm letting you know that Mika-san is worried about me. I'm having to relocate due to some complications in the case here, but I need you to keep an extra eye on her somehow. Sorry for the trouble." He sounded like an American teenager, but I guessed that was a part of his character for now. 

"I will, Kyuji-san. Stay safe, and I will inform you of any important information."

"Thank you, Near." I ended the call soon after, beginning to piece everything together. Something was wrong with Ryuuzaki's safety in his original location, and Kairi had found out somehow, so he wanted me to keep an eye on her in case her worry began to overcome her. 

Seemed like something I could handle. 

A few hours passed before Kairi returned, but she didn't strike up a conversation like she usually did. "How was your party?" I asked. Her eyes shifted to me, and a small shrug was given. 

"Long..tiring. But I have a team now. Willing to help with any case I need them on."

"Good to know." She nodded, removing her mask and beanie. She set them on the table and started for the door. "Retiring for the night?" I asked. 

"I need to talk to Sayu first." 

I nodded, motioning for Kouju to walk her down. Once they left the room, I let out a small sigh and turned back to my work. I kept an eye on the cameras as Kairi walked with my butler. When she was in Yagami-san's room, I let her be. I trusted Sayu to let me know if anything suspicious were to happen. 

I returned to tracing the kills of our current Kira. There didn't seem to be any sort of important patterns to any of these kills. No symbols, messages, relationships...nothing. I let out a sigh, pulling out my laptop and pulling up the records on the last five people. 

This is a moment that Kairi would be quite helpful. Ryuuzaki had said that she was good at hacking into profiles and other important information. 

My eyes flickered to the screen that showed Sayu's room. Kairi was crying, as visible by her shoulders shaking. It was probably about Ryuuzaki's situation. She had said he felt like family. I found myself watching the screen a little too long when Kouju cleared his throat. "Do I need to check on her, Near?"

"No. I know why she's crying. And her cousin is the best comfort she can get right now." I let out another sigh as I placed my hands on my knees, looking back to the files open on my screen. I eventually found myself staring at Sayu's screen again, and the two girls were standing on opposite sides of the bed. Sayu's expression caught my attention. 

Then Kairi ran out of the room.

"Kouju."

"I'm on it."

I watched the feeds, seeing Kairi run out of the building. I cast my eyes to the hat and mask sitting on my desk, beginning to worry. She wasn't being careful at all right now. Something was definitely wrong. 

I stood up and called Kouju, telling him to bring the car around. I then grabbed her disguise as well as my own, pulling on the wig and mask as I walked out of my room. I strolled down to Sayu's room, knocking twice. 

"Near, please go after her!" we're the first words out of her mouth when she opened the door. 

"Where is she going?"

"Her old house. I...it just slipped out. I didn't mean to tell her. We got into a fight and-"

"We'll deal with it once we get her back to safety," I cut her off, finding the explanation useless at this moment. "You stay here. Tell Nemura to send me the address."

She nodded, closing her door. I started downstairs, receiving a text as I got into the car. I told Kouju the address, and we started off, both of us keeping an eye on the streets in case we were to come across her sooner. 

We reached her house within twenty minutes, and I was surprised to see that he was already there. She must have taken a bus. I sighed softly as I walked inside the open door, sitting down next to her in the middle of the floor.

"I don't have any family left."


	15. The Bitter Truth (part 2)

(Kairi's POV)

I let out a sigh as I left the meeting room. Leo, Watari, Haru, and I had discussed the initial idea and our plans once I was calm enough to speak without sobbing. It was endearing how patient these - almost - strangers were. 

I returned back to Near's base once we had scheduled a meeting a week from then. I was tired both physically and emotionally, and I merely wanted to talk to Sayu then go to bed. When Near struck up a conversation, I answered somewhat shortly to get my point across. It seemed that he took it when he instructed Kouju to lead me down to Sayu. 

I let out another soft sigh once I was inside of my cousin's quarters, smiling a little when she rushed to hug me. I returned the small embrace and let her lead me to sit on the bed. 

"Are you feeling any better?" she started, and I nodded once. 

"A few friends I made at the police force decided they would offer me any assistance they could in my partner's investigation. One of them had overheard me on the phone with you in the bathroom, and he led me to a private room so I could calm down some."

"I'm glad someone is looking out for you."

I nodded, though my smile faded a bit. "How have you been? We haven't talked much since you helped me with the new look. I've been busy working the case, but I haven't had time to check in on you."

"I'm fine. I've been doing pretty well, actually. Knowing that you're safe has really lifted my spirits. Though..I did occasionally wonder if it was all just a dream..if Kira really had taken you away."

I frowned, hugging her tightly as I placed my chin on her shoulder. She returned the embrace, and I felt myself tearing up again. "I'm right here. When you're doubting yourself, remember that you can always ask Kouju or Nemura to come get me. I'll come as soon as I can." 

Her arms tightened as my voice cracked at the end. "Oh Kairi, what am I going to do with you?" I heard her chuckle light-heartedly, and I smiled as I began to fall apart again. 

"I'm so broken right now..so scared," I finally expressed, letting out a shaky breath as I let the tears fall from my closed eyes. I melted into her arms, happy to find she was strong enough to keep us both sitting up. "I don't know what I would do if I lost my friend...then you would really be the only family I have left."

When I felt her freeze up in my arms, I froze as well. It took a moment for me to pull away. I locked eyes with her, mine narrowing in worry. "What is it?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes darting between mine. Her pupils dilated before her eyes shifted away. Then back to mine. 

"You're hiding something. I'm your cousin, Sayu. You can tell me if something is bothering you."

"No, I'm fine. Really. It's nothing."

I frowned, wiping my eyes a bit as I tried to pull myself together. Why was she hiding something? We never hid things from each other. It was almost like an unspoken rule. No secrets. Just family. 

"..Sayu, please tell me. You're nervous."

"Am not."

"Defensive behavior, inability to keep eye contact, freezing up after I spoke...denial to your own fam-"

"Stop. Just stop! Yes, something's bothering me. No, I don't want to keep it from you. Sometimes secrets have to be kept, Kairi. Just because you think you're my cousin doesn't mean-"

It felt like I had been punched in the gut. Her eyes widened. Mine did soon after. "Think? I _think_ I'm your cousin? What the hell is that supposed to mean? You're the only blood relative I have left." My eyes began to well with tears. 

"T-That's not what I meant..."

"Sayu, reading people is the only thing I've ever been truly good at. D-Don't go telling me lies. I can see it. And now..you're t-trying to backtrack.." I moved off the bed, pushing my hair back. "We aren't related, are we?" I asked, my tone soft in disbelief. 

The look on her face said it all.

_______________

I let out a small breath as I stepped into my old house. It had been years since I last laid eyes on it. The place I called home. I sat in the living room floor, recalling all the memories Sayu and I made just right here. Playing make believe, me being a cop and her a criminal trying to be innocent. A bitter smile graced my lips. Even as a child, it seemed I was aiming to become a detective. 

I wasn't sure how long I had been there, but eventually I heard a sigh. I recognized a head of white hair in my peripheral, and I wrapped my arms around my legs as I spoke. 

"I don't have any family left." I looked down at the floor, tears slipping from my cheeks onto my arms and knees. 

"No blood relatives left, yes. But you still have family." Near's words had me laughing bitterly. 

"You knew. You knew, and you didn't tell me. And I'm sure that Sayu knew for a while too."

"She did. She was going to tell you when you both were emotionally stable enough for the conversation. I advised that she not, merely to keep something like this from happening in the middle of your two cases and causing more stress."

Hearing the bitter truth from Near was highly upsetting, though it was good to finally know the whole ordeal. "Why didn't my own parents tell me? I was old enough to understand before they died."

"I don't know."

No one did. The answer died with them. 

"But I do know that Sayu, Kyuji, and I all care about you. Those new friends at the police station obviously care enough to help you with two cases that did not concern them. You matter to people, Kairi."

I listened quietly, hugging my knees and hiding my face. I didn't want to accept it. If I mattered, then why was I lied to? Why was everyone keeping such a big secret from me? I was nearly positive that Ryuuzaki knew as well. But he didn't tell me. 

"Please, tell me what you're thinking right now."

Silence stretched between us, and I took a moment to process my thoughts. "Why should I? You're only asking because it's hindering the way I'm thinking about the case. You don't care what I'm feeling as long as it doesn't get in the way of my job."

I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders, causing me to freeze for a moment. A hand rested on my arm as well, and I risked a small glance. When I met his soft gaze, I felt breathless. His expression was filled with so much worry..even a hint of hurt..that I was at a loss for words. 

"You don't get to tell me how I feel if you aren't looking at me. You may be good at reading people, but you aren't psychic." A choked sob escaped me, and I was wrapped a warm embrace seconds later. I wrapped my arms around him as well, clinging to his shirt and burying my face into his shoulder. 

He held me for as long as I cried, even though I wasn't sure just how long it had been. I felt weak and tired, even more so than I had been after the party at the police station. "N-Near.."

"We're going back. Kouju is waiting in the car outside." He helped me to my feet, but I couldn't lift my head. I didn't want to know what he was thinking. I had just fallen apart completely for the first time in front of him. I didn't want to see any pity, for I was sure it was there. I simply followed him out of my old house, feeling him pull the beanie over my hair and hooking my mask into place before stepping out the door. His hand stilled on my covered chin, but I kept my eyes down. I heard him sigh, but his thumb rubbed my cheek once before he led me out to the car. I slipped in silently, scooting over for him to join me. 

I felt an arm slip around my shoulder once more, and as unsure I was about the contact, I was too tired to care. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, letting darkness consume me as quickly as it wished. 

I didn't wake until I felt an arm slipping beneath my head, another resting over my side and stomach. I wasn't sure how to feel, though I couldn't deny that I felt..safe..in his arms. His words were barely registered as I slipped under once more. "Just go back to sleep. We can talk in the morning."


	16. A Slow Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously...  
> Kairi had a mental breakdown upon the news of Ryuuzaki's dangerous trials. During a talk with her cousin, Kairi finally learns the bitter truth of her lack of blood relation to the Yagami family. Her reaction is neither planned nor smart, but she somehow finds herself asleep in the arms of Ryuuzaki's own prodigy.

(L's POV)

As soon as we were safely relocated, I had Watari hire guards to position around the building discreetly, as well as cameras to watch all entrances, windows included. I then had shifts assigned to the surveillance room to assure they would be watched at all times. I didn't want to risk anyone getting in unseen. 

Once everything was set up, I seated myself in my own private room. It was on the bottom of the three floor building. The building itself was much nicer as well, provided by the government once the picture of Jeff had been sent in. It was necessary for the government to know what I was doing. They had already known of the other cases I had solved, so it wasn't as if I didn't have a name for myself. 

The building had been provided with the suggestion that I take the top floor, but I had a strong feeling that if anyone entered the building after me, that would be where they suspected me to be. No, instead I had taken the next to last room on the bottom floor, where it could be risky were I to leave the lights on. The room had no windows, so there was no risk of break in unless the person had explosives. I had a carpeted room, and I installed styrofoam behind canvases to further block the chance of echo. I resigned myself to one laptop for the time being, knowing I had access to the cameras around the building if I wanted them. 

I pulled up the feed that had been recorded before I had moved. It took some time, but I eventually managed to secure one frame where he had been still enough for a good shot. He was just as horrifying as Jaden had described in his story. However, his white hoodie seemed to be stained on one side. As if he'd been injured. I furrowed a brow, wondering what it could be. 

I pulled up the app on my phone, messaging Corgi101 again. 

_DeathAndLife: Hello, Jaden. Might I inquire a bit more about Jeff?_

It took a few minutes for a response. 

_Corgi101: Feel free._

_DeathAndLife: His injuries. They were just the burning, the cutting of his lips, and the occasional fight, right?_

_Corgi101: That is all, I believe. He had fallen down the stairs during the house fight after being set on fire, but he wasn't injured from it really. No broken bones according to the reports._

I hummed, wondering what it could be. A moment later, I received another message. 

_Corgi101: If I may inquire, why?_

I guessed it wouldn't hurt to explain myself. 

_DeathAndLife: I caught an image of him from my security camera. He has a severe amount of blood on his left abdomen. I was wondering if he may have gotten an injury that could cause external bleeding if it were aggravated._

_Corgi101: Could I see this image?_

_DeathAndLife: Due to the fact that my location was compromised, I have relocated to a safe house. If you wish to meet, you will be picked up and blindfolded to keep the location a secret._

_Corgi101: That is fine. I just want an image. Thank you. Tell me where I will be picked up, and I will be waiting._

I sent an address along with a time for him, and then I called Watari in. I instructed him to take the author to a building a few blocks away, and have this picture awaiting him in the room he was lead to. I also told Watari to keep him blindfolded for the ride there and back. 

Watari left the room, most likely calling the driver and passing along the information. I was alone in the dark room once more, looking at the image of my killer. I wish I had Kairi here. She would be such a great help.

Suddenly, I received another video call. I answered it, taking on my American persona once again when I recognized Kairi sitting on the other end. "H-Hey, Kyuji-san. Are you safe?"

I smiled at her soft green eyes. "Yes, I am. I'm sorry for scaring you."

"I-It's okay."

My brow furrowed a little. "Kairi? What's wrong, sis?"

Her eyes welled with tears, and I couldn't help but wish we were together so that I could wrap my arms around her. She looked so broken. "I'm not related to the Yagami family. I was adopted into my family. And I don't even know my own parents. But everyone is dead..except you and Sayu. You're the only family I have left, Ryuuzaki. Blood or not. And I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

I let out a soft sigh. So she had found out. "I'll tell you what you would do," I started, hating to see her crying this much. "You would keep on living the long life you were destined to have, getting rid of the bad people and slowly making this world a better place. If not for yourself, then for me. For Sayu. For whatever future that lies ahead for you. You are beautiful, and strong, and worth so much to us."

Her eyes shifted away from the camera. I let out a small sigh, but she soon brought them back up. "I haven't...I haven't slipped. In about a month now."

I gasped softly, feeling my eyes betray me as they welled with tears. Even if she couldn't see. "I'm so proud of you! You're getting stronger, Kairi. That's great. Please, keep your head up for me. Can you give me a little smile?"

She let out a small laugh, the corners of her lips turning up ever-so-slightly. "You're an idiot, you know."

I laughed a little. "So are you. Come home soon."

"That's the plan."

I stayed on call a while longer, explaining what had happened in further detail and emailing her all the information I had so far. Including the image, it really wasn't a whole lot. It was enough to catch Jeff if the police were searching for some normal man, but the killer was clearly planning to remain hidden and continue killing, no matter who his victims may be. 

Kairi filled me in on the lack of development on her end. Kira had gone silent this past month. She wondered if he was planning for something, or if the Kira had just died in the middle of his plans. Whatever the case, they were still trying to find the person behind it all. 

Eventually her emotions had settled quite a bit, a bright smile adorning her lips. "You seem happier now. But..more so than I'm used to. Did something else happen?"

The blush on her cheeks made my eyes widen slightly. "Y-Yes..but it's no big deal. It might be weird for me to explain." I couldn't help but wonder what she was getting at. With a bit of coaxing, she proceeded to tell me of the events following Sayu telling her the truth. All the way to where she remembered falling asleep in Near's arms. And suddenly I understood. 

"You have a crush on Near."

"D-Do not!! I'm just..confused is all. And it felt..kind of nice. Like when you used to hold me while I cried to sleep. It felt safe." My gaze softened, though I knew she couldn't see. "I'm sorry. It was weird. But..I don't think I have a crush on him. Or you. So don't worry."

I let out a small breath. "Kairi, I wouldn't be upset if you had a crush on him. Or me, for that matter. I just don't want you to get so wrapped up in the possibility of relationships that you lose focus on the important tasks."

"You mean...you wouldn't care if I ended up developing feelings for one of you?" she asked softly.

"Of course not. You're a grown woman who can make her own decisions and has her own thoughts and emotions. Just don't let your heart cloud your mind, and vice versa." Her shoulders loosened. I guessed that she really was developing feelings for Near, which was sort of endearing in a strange way. Kairi had always been so focused on our cases that she turned down any pursuer. The fact that she was finally showing interest in someone made me hope that she would find someone special to take care of her. More than I ever could. I was sure that kind of love was very unique, and she deserved to feel it.

"I won't. And, Ryuuzaki?" I gave a hum in response. "I love you. Stay safe."

"I will. I love you too, Kairi." 

(Near's POV)

That felt oddly idiotic. And improvised. Two things I often hated to feel. And yet...I couldn't find it within myself to regret what I did for Kairi. I had heard her calling and talking to Ryuuzaki, and she even mentioned what had happened between us. But when they got to the conversation about relationships, I believed my ears had betrayed me. 

If it were possible that Kairi had feelings for me...I wasn't sure how I would respond. She was..definitely a beautiful woman. Her abilities as a detective were well developed, and the was a risk-taker even though she was very meticulous in how she planned things out. 

Her emotions were pretty stable as long as she had someone to talk to. Which..might be a bit of a problem if she ended up being upset with Sayu for keeping the secret. But I guessed I could listen to her vent if she needed it..

My thoughts were interrupted by a clearing of the throat. I turned around in my chair, seeing Kairi standing in the doorway. "Kairi-chan. Are you feeling better today?"

"Much, thank you. And Ryuuzaki is safe now, so I don't have to worry about him." She let out a sigh and crossed the room, seating herself in a chair next to me. "You said we would talk about what happened last week, but we haven't."

I gave a small nod. "I thought I would wait until you wanted to."

"What did you do that for?"

"I thought you needed the comfort." Her green eyes shifted away, a blush forming on her cheeks. "Did you?"

"I did. Thank you. I felt safe." I gave a small nod, leaning forward a bit. 

"Kairi, I want you to know that I do care about you. Ryuuzaki and I may not be very expressive, but you mean a lot to us both. I know it's harder for you since he isn't here, but if you need to talk, or to be reassured, then you can come to me. I don't want you to feel like you're alone in this."

She smiled, a look that I was worried would be absent for a while after her breakdown. "You're more expressive than you know. Plus, like you said, I'm good at reading people." Another soft sigh escaped her lips, and I waited for what I guessed would be a continuation or her explaining herself. "I...I felt alone. I'm sure you saw that. I had called Sayu and Light my family for so long, only to find out we're no more than really, really close friends. But...what you said to me that night is still stuck in my head."

My brow furrowed. "Which part?"

"About..mattering." I allowed a look of worry to reach my gaze, and I was positive she saw it, for she looked down at her lap. 

"Kairi-"

"Just...wait. I'm fine, I swear. I just wanted you to know..that I found the truth in your words. I didn't think there was any when I heard them...but Ryuuzaki and I talked, and I've been able to finally see what I was trying to protect myself from." She finally looked up to me, allowing me to see the peace in her lovely - _wait..._ \- green eyes. 

"I'm glad you can see what I've seen all along," I breathed softly. Even I was shocked by the tone of my voice. 

The blush on her cheeks made my thoughts halt entirely. "Near..thank you. For being there for me when I needed you the most." A smile twisted the corner of my lips.

"Anytime, Kairi. _Anytime._ "


	17. Sometimes You Fall...

(Kairi's POV)

After talking with Near about the situation, I felt a little more comfortable around him. I allowed myself to be more expressive and open with him. To an extent, at least. I didn't want Light thinking that he and I were too close. It could put Near at risk. 

It had been about four days since I had seen Light. I still had the Death Note, but I hadn't used it yet. He had told me not to take it out in my bedroom since there were cameras hidden in the vents. I did nothing about them; I had seen the feeds before in Near's office. I just pretended as if I didn't know about the cameras at all and left the Death Note securely in my bag for now.

After he had told me of the cameras, he left the room. I wasn't sure if I liked being followed by him when no one else could see him, but I was happy to have a break for a little while. 

Life really liked to fuck with me.

"Kairi-chan."

I jumped slightly, glad that I was still dressed as I stood in my bathroom. I was about to shave my legs, since I had earned enough trust to have a razor in my possession again. The only catch was that it would be checked each time I used it. 

There floated my deathly cousin, just as unrecognizable as the first time I saw him. "I can't do this here, Light. If we want to talk, we'll have to find another way. I have to write..or type or something. Anything else. But I can't risk talking."

"That's fine. You have cameras anyway. You can use your computer from now on."

I nodded, glaring up at him. "Do you mind?"

"I'm dead, Kairi."

"And I have morals. Now out." He laughed, the sound sickening. It was nothing like Light's laugh. I sighed as he floated through the door, stripping down and slipping into the tub.

I handled my shower well, even taking a moment to look over my old scars. I remembered every moment I released my frustration this way. It was calming. 

But now I needed to do it another way. Ryuuzaki was proud of me for not reverting back to my old ways. And even Near said I could come to him. Maybe it was time to change how I handled it myself. 

I grabbed a towel and dried myself, dressing in the bathroom as I usually did and grabbing the razor from the counter as I left the bathroom. I left my bedroom, heading up to Near's office to let him look over it. 

"Are you alright, Kairi-chan?" was the first question that left his lips when I walked into the room. I smiled a little, handing over the razor. 

"I shaved. You can check, if you need to." He shook his head, scanning the razor head instead. 

"I trust you. And you seem to trust me. But if something is bothering you, you can tell me."

I bit my lower lip, shrugging lightly. "I just...remember all the reasons I cut before. Like a trip down memory lane."

I watched him set the blade down, then he turned the open seat next to him towards me. I took the invitation and sat down, letting out a small sigh. "Mind if I pry?"

I looked up at him with a curious gaze. He held out a hand, and I hesitantly rested mine in his. He turned my arm over and traced the scars gently. It sent a shiver down my spine. "Near?"

"Can you tell me the reasons? Just a few, if you want." I laughed a little, looking down at my arm.

"You wouldn't get it. It's fine."

"Try me." 

I felt my breath catch in my throat, and for a moment I thought I might just fall apart. But I tried to keep it together. "O-Okay," I began, and I pointed to the first one. It was up by my left elbow, faint and thin but still visible. "This..was the first. It was right after Ryuuzaki and I moved to America. I was hesitant, but I couldn't find another way to handle my sadness..so I took an empty mechanical pencil and just..started scratching."

I stopped there, positive that the scar was enough to finish that story. I then moved to one near the middle of my forearm, a longer one and slightly thicker across. "This was the second. It was about five months after the first, when I messed up on a case and let a criminal get away. I was disappointed..and found a pair of scissors." I sighed, stopping myself from rubbing my arm self-consciously. One glance was all it took to notice Near watching each scar as I continued to tell the stories. 

I reached the thickest of all, a line running down my right arm. "This..was the worst one," I started, laughing bitterly as the memory came to me. "I had gotten in a big fight with Ryuuzaki..and I hadn't been eating well either. He said I might just kill myself if I kept this up, and I asked him why he even cared. I..I took his hesitation in responding as him not caring at all..." I couldn't stop the tears as they fell. "It...it hurt more when he found me. I hadn't bled enough to pass out, but the way his usually emotionless expression twisted into one of complete horror was terrifying. I-I scared him." A choked sob escaped my lips, and I covered my mouth with my other hand, closing my eyes. 

A few moments later, warm arms surrounded me once more. It was such a familiar warmth, despite this being only the third time Near has held me close like this. I let myself fall apart, clinging to his shirt so that I wouldn't touch my arms. If this had happened while I was alone, I probably would have slipped, with at least scratching or bruising like I used to.

It felt like an eternity before I registered the hand gently rubbing small patterns into my back. I focused on the soft touch as I began to settle down, and once I felt like I was breathing properly again, I pulled back a little from his hold. He took one of my hands in his, touching the scars gently once more.

"You're so much stronger than anyone I've met, Kairi."

"H-How so?" I asked disbelievingly. 

"You decided to bear your own pain all alone, even though it wasn't healthy, and you're still fighting back for the people you care about. Just know that it takes a lot to trust someone. Both Ryuuzaki and I know that. Our jobs depend on it." He brought my arm up, and I blushed at the small kiss he placed on my right arm, just over the scar where it ended at the wrist. "We are here for you, whenever you're ready to accept it. You aren't in this alone."

I teared up again, but this time a small smile lit my lips. "I..I don't really feel too well right now, Near." He nodded and stood up, and I was pulled to my feet. 

"I'll sit with you until you fall asleep." He gave my hand a little squeeze and led me to my room, instructing Kouju to inform him if anything were to come up in the case. 

(Near's POV)

I kissed her wrist. I don't even know why I did it. It just..felt right. And it seemed to make her feel better. She smiled, even though she was about to cry again. I took that as a win, hoping that she wouldn't read too much into my actions. 

I settled down onto her bed with her, sitting up while she rested next to me. I opened up the laptop I had brought down, taking the quiet time to keep looking into a faint but possible lead. I had managed to get Gyumi-san to describe the appearances of the other men she had worked with, and with the descriptions, I was able to get a few suspects. 

If I could find just one who had been able to see Kira, then perhaps I could use them to my advantage. 

Kairi would begin attending Naomi's classes within a few days, taking Gyumi's character as Masano Kyomi until we settled everything down and released the actress. We also planned to look into gaining her as a future asset, should anything else be asked of her by the current Kira. 

My focus on the case was hindered momentarily when I felt a little shift of movement next to me. Kairi had rolled onto her side, facing me. Her eyes were open, but her gaze was unusually distant. I let my gaze linger on her for a moment, wondering if I should say something or just let her be. "Near?"

"Yes, Kairi?"

"Would you..tell me if I made you uncomfortable?" I raised a curious brow, giving her a little nod. After what seemed to be a moment of hesitation, she shifted a little closer and rested her head on my lap. Although it was a little more difficult to type, she seemed comfortable, so I let her be and continued my work with one hand. 

I eventually found my right hand slowly stroking her short blonde hair. I wasn't sure when it began to happen, nor why neither of us made a move to stop it. I believed we had found a comfortable silence, but soon realized that she had fallen asleep atop my lap, her right hand resting on my knee. With a faint smile, I continued my work in silence. 

As I was working, I was surprised to receive a video call from Ryuuzaki. I answered it, seeing his classic "L" appear and giving a small nod of respect. "Good evening, Ryuuzaki," I greeted quietly. 

"Where is Kairi-chan? She didn't call me tonight."

I turned the camera on and showed the sleeping girl to the detective. He let out a small sigh, turning on his own camera for once. "I'm glad she's safe. Has she slipped?"

"No. We actually talked about it a little," I replied. "She wasn't feeling well afterwards, so I decided to stay with her until she fell asleep."

"Are you planning to leave?"

"Not unless something comes up that requires my movement," I admitted. "Is everything alright, Ryuuzaki?"

"Yes...I just worry about her." I studied his gaze for a moment, giving a little nod in understanding. 

"She misses you. She thinks very highly of you, you know." He cracked a faint smile, which truly caught me off guard. Then again, he had changed a lot since I last saw him when I was a child. 

"How is the case?"

"Coming along. This Kira is very smart, but he forgot to cover up the tracks with Gyumi-san. She remembered the faces of the people that did her recordings."

"Remember not to overlook anything that may seem too obvious to be true." I nodded. 

"Be careful. I have looked into this Jeff the Killer you are dealing with. He is very dangerous as well." 

"Keep an eye on her?" Ryuuzaki requested. 

"Of course, Ryuuzaki-san. She might fall, but I will be there to help her back up."


	18. And You Fall Hard…

(L's POV)

Seeing Kairi sleeping upon his lap had my heart racing. I couldn't tell if I was upset by the sudden change, of if I found it endearing, but I let it go for now. Much like my advice to Kairi, I couldn't let my heart cloud my mind. There was too much at risk here, especially if she wanted to return to a living Ryuuzaki.

Watari returned to the building and brought me a small sandwich. I ate a bit of it, gladly accepting the desert that was offered to me afterwards. A bowl full of marshmallows, since we didn't have a lot of time to waste on elegant deserts. 

My contact messaged me again about a day after he received the image. 

_Corgi101: So I understand what you were asking now, but I don't know how that happened. He's too fast for the average human to land an attack that bloody, unless there was a trap set._

_DeathAndLife: Do you believe it's possible someone else has set traps aside from you? Maybe someone else is a big target. Or the story was spread well enough to have most families on guard now._

_Corgi101: Maybe so… I don't think it would change much, though. It would merely delay the inevitable death, or speed it up since he would get enraged._

I sighed softly, shaking my head. This just didn't make sense. 

_DeathAndLife: Would an injury like this delay his attacks for some time?_

A few minutes later, he responded. 

_Corgi101: Perhaps so…I have so many traps set that he would probably be killed, but if someone else were to have injured him in some way, it might take him some time to heal. He is mortal, after all._

I sent a quick thanks, then called Watari in. "I have an idea. It's risky and dangerous, but it just might work." 

My butler and I discussed the plans, an once he was prepared, he left to set things into motion. It took about two days for everything to be ready, but my room was lined with traps were something to go wrong. 

That night, I received a video call from Kairi. She smiled, but after a moment I knew it was faked. "What happened?"

"It's…weird. And I'm scared to tell you over call like this. But please, tell me you trust me."

"Of course, Kairi," I replied, nodding to her. "I trust you with my life."

"Okay. But you can't tell anyone. Not even Near, or Watari." I nodded in agreement. What I saw next made me regret my decision. She sent me an image of a death note. 

"Kairi, how did you get these?"

"Gyumi-san gave them to me. Apparently they had been little gifts to her as reference for the movie scheme Kira used to get we to record. I'm starting to wonder…"

"Go on."

"What if Gyumi-san is Kira? She seemed extremely shocked when she saw me, even if my appearance had changed."

I hummed in thought. "It is possible. But if that is true, you need to inform Near of this idea. It wouldn't be safe to try and figure it out on your own."

"I know," she sighed. "Is there a cure to using the death note? I know…I know Light-kun went crazy with power, but is there a way to fix it?"

"He killed his own father," I pointed out. "Along with many police officers he called his friends. I wouldn't put too much hope into it." She looked down, biting her lip. "There's something else."

"You said not to let my heart cloud my mind…but all I can do is worry for you. You have me at my wits end, Ryuuzaki. Please tell me you're safe."

I sighed, and I noticed tears spring to her eyes in an instant. "Don't…look at me like that. I have everything laid out. But you know I can't promise that."

"Y-You don't get it," she spoke with a shaky breath, and I let my brows furrow. "I miss you. Every…every day, Ryuuzaki. I know I should only contact you once a day at most, for your safety as well as mine, and for the case of our investigations. But I can't help but fear that one day I will call, and you won't answer. That something will have happened to you."

As stable as her voice had remained through her elaboration, her eyes betrayed her. Tears fell freely down her face, and my chest began to ache. "I know you worry. I get it. I spend every day worrying about you. But have a little faith, Kairi. If I survived Kira, a user of a godly death book, I think I can handle a human with above average speed." She gave a small laugh, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Go talk to Near. Even if it isn't about the Kira case. I can't hold you like I used to, but he can."

"Y-You make this impossible," she sighed, looking down. I was beyond confused now, but her beautiful green orbs lifted to meet mine once more. "I…I'll talk to you later," she said softly.

"Kairi," I said, and she paused for a moment. "A smile?" 

She cracked one, albeit weak, and looked down. "Stay safe, Ryuuzaki. I love you."

"I love you too, Kairi."

(Kairi's POV)

I sighed as I closed my laptop, looking down at the pictures in my hand. 

_"Oh, there is one thing I forgot to tell you. The people that hired me offered me images of set pieces and props to help me get the feel for my character. These are the ones I kept."_

Gyumi-san's words came to mind. What made me worry the most is that I would never know whether or not this was the only other book, or if there were many. I even showed it to Light, but he couldn't place a book just by the cover. Most looked the same, after all.

I decided to take Ryuuzaki's advice, standing up and leaving my bedroom to go find Near. As soon as I did, I smiled and moved closer quietly. "How is he?"

"Good. He seemed confident in whatever plan he was executing…hopefully it will help with this Jeff the Killer case and end it quickly," I replied, moving to sit next to him. "I just…can't help but worry."

"He raised you like his own. I can see why you're so close," Near commented, and I smiled sadly, looking down at my hands. 

"He became everything to me, aside from Sayu. He was all I saw every day, unless working undercover. The only person I talked to aside from Watari. He was my world, and I pushed him away to come back here."

"You did what you felt was right. And you've been a big help to this case," Near pointed out. I sighed. "With the leads we currently have, and the silence from Kira…you could head back to America and finish up the case. Perhaps even take your team with you."

I perked up at the idea. "R-Really?"

Near nodded. "And, if you'd like, you could still assist on the Kira case. I will keep you informed on anything that may come up, and you can give your insights to anything you can read."

"Thank you, Near," I said with a happier exhale, standing up and hugging him. He returned the embrace after a moment. 

"I'm going to miss you."

For a moment, I felt as if my ears had betrayed me, but when I pulled back a little to see his face, I noticed his gaze not meet mine, as well as the faint flush upon his cheeks. Then, as if time had slowed down, everything seemed to go still and silent around us. Our eyes met, and when time caught up with me, I could feel warm, soft lips against my own.


End file.
